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Zakir Naik's NGO Islamic Research Foundation banned by govt for five years

Govt bans Zakir Naik's NGO under UAPA act.

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The Union government on Tuesday decided to declare Islamic Research Foundation floated by preacher Zakir Naik an outlawed organisation under UAPA. It has been banned for five years. 

The cabinet meeting presided by PM Narendra Modi approved a proposal to declare Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) as an 'unlawful association' under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for five years, a Home Ministry official said.

The govt was tightening screws on IRF after it was revealed that one of the attackers involved in the Dhaka cafe attack was inspired by teleevangelist Zakir Naik's preachings. On November 1, the writing was on the wall for Zakir Naik's organisation when home ministry initiated cabinet note to declare controversial televangelist Zakir Naik's NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) as an unlawful association. It also revoked its Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) license and put its sister concern IRF Educational Trust (IRF-ET) under prior permission category.

Investigations have found IRF guilty of promoting enmity and hatred between different religions and motivating youth to commit terrorist acts through hate speeches and having dubious money dealings with Peace Television, an international Islamic channel, accused of propagating terrorism. Besides Naik is also an accused of radicalising youth in almost half a dozen criminal cases.

Despite various ongoing investigations, the ministry had inadvertently renewed the registration of IRF under the FCRA in September leading to suspension of a Joint Secretary and four other officials in the FCRA division of the home ministry.

Maharashtra Police has also registered criminal cases against Naik for his alleged involvement in radicalisation of youths and luring them into terror activities, officials said.

The Islamic orator is banned in the UK and Canada for his hate speech aimed against other religions. He is among 16 banned Islamic scholars in Malaysia. He is popular in Bangladesh through his Peace TV, although his preachings often demean other religions and even other Muslim sects. The Mumbai-based preacher who is abroad, has not returned to India ever since the controversy came to light.

With agency and correspondent inputs 

 

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