Claiming that the ban on his organisation Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) was an attack on “Muslims, peace, democracy and justice”, a rattled Islamic preacher Zakir Naik said on Friday that the decision to ban was timed with “demonetisation fiasco” to distract media attention and to take advantage of lack of resistance from the cash-strapped people.
In what he called his “second letter to India” circulated in the social media, Naik claimed that the IRF and he were “set up up for a ban”
“Before investigations were done, even before reports submitted, the ban was already decided. IRF was to be banned. Whether it was owing to my religion or some other reason, does not matter,” Naik said.
Early this month, the Union government banned the IRF and declared it as a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for five years.
Describing that the ban on IRF as “flawless”, Naik said, “From the Government’s point of view, the timing itself could not have been better. The decision to ban IRF was taken in the middle of the demonetisation fiasco, as the country reeled under the selfimposed cash crunch. I won’t be surprised if this ban was meant to distract media from what was going on in the country.
For the public that is starved for cash, for trade and basic amenities, one cannot expect much of resistance”.
Claiming that no notice, summons were served on him nor no contact was ever made with him to get his side of the story despite his having offered to cooperate with the investigations, Naik said that the system and agencies had been used to suit “a pre-meditated” result set by the Government of India. “let us not be gullible to think this was just an attack on me. It is an attack on whom I represent, the Indian Muslims. It is an attack on peace, democracy and justice,” the IRF founder said.
Questioning the grounds on which IRF was banned, Naik said, “The ban notification alleges that I have incited violence through some of my statements. I would at this juncture like to re-emphasise that I have at all points only advocated peace and condemned violence in any form. In fact I am one of the few persons who ever publicly spoke against State sponsored violence and terrorism”.
Charging that the Modi Government was “misusing” the law to scare Indian Muslims, Naik said, I have faith in the judiciary and I still believe that truth will prevail and the Modi Government will fail in its plans. But whatever the outcome, I strongly believe that the best efforts to quash my work will only help it rise higher and stronger..."
“like the demonetisation fiasco, the Modi Government’s IRF ban and its modus operandi has been distraught with senseless decisions and knee jerk actions. After having said that the Islamic International School will not be affected, the Government goes ahead and freezes the School’s bank account. How will a school survive without its day-to-day expenses being metIJ,” IRF founder asked.
Incidentally, Naik has shot off his second letter a day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) asked three banks to freeze 25 accounts of Naik, his family members and IRF.
The NIA has also handed over a list of more than 12 persons including Naik, his family members, close friends and organisations, to all 72 scheduled commercial banks to aqsertain whether these people had any account in these financial institutions.
The NIA has also written to Union Home Ministry for banning the website run by the IRF and as well as suspending its online activities which includes videos of speeches on social networking sites.
Accusing the Modi government of adopting double standards in dealing with Muslim religious leaders, Naik said: "....The law does not seem to apply to the likes of Rajeshwar Singh, Yogi Adityanath and Sadhvi Prachi who continue to make inflammatory speeches aimed at inciting communal hatred for mere political mileage".