The Centre on Friday swung into action against the controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and his organisations, Peace TV and Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). Home Minister Rajnath Singh told the media that the agencies are checking his controversial speeches while Home Ministry’s FCRA division and Intelligence Bureau have started probe into the foreign funding to the IRF. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has also sent advisories to all district monitoring committees to prevent illegal transmission of Peace TV across cable networks in the country.
“We have taken cognisance of Zakir Naik’s speeches and have given necessary instructions for a probe. A thorough investigation will be done. CDs of his speeches are being examined,” Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
The Home Minister said necessary action will be taken in this regard. “As far as the Government is concerned, we will not compromise on terrorism at any cost. Whatever is justified will be done,” he said. I&B Minister Venkaiah Naidu also convened a meeting of top officials and decided to alert all district level SP and DMs to prevent illegal airing of Peace TV by errant cable operators.
The move by the Centre came a day after the Maharashtra Government ordered a probe into the sermons by the 50-year-old televangelist that has kicked up a storm. The activities of the IRF came under the scanner of the Union Home Ministry amid allegations that funds from abroad received by it have been spent on political activities and inspiring people towards radical views.
A senior Home Ministry official said an investigation has been ordered into the activities of IRF, which was registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). The Home Ministry probe will cover the allegations that foreign funding to IRF was used in political activities and allegations that the NGO’s funds were used to induce people towards Islam and “attracting” the youth towards terror, the official said.
The IRF’s source of foreign funding will also be examined thoroughly by the Home Ministry, the official said.
Officials said according to an intelligence report the content of the “Peace TV”, in which Naik regularly appears and gives sermons, is “not conducive” to the security environment in the country and poses “security hazard”.
Naik on Thursday released a statement, saying he “totally disagreed” that he inspired the act of killing innocent people in Dhaka. “There is not a single talk of mine where I encouraged one to kill another, whether Muslim or non-Muslim.” Naik’s speeches are believed to have inspired some of the Bangladeshi militants, who killed 22 people, mostly foreigners, at an upscale restaurant in Dhaka last Friday.
Meanwhile I&B Ministry issued advisories to all district monitoring committees headed by District Magistrates and Superintends of Police to monitor the cable TV operators and prevent the illegal airing of Peace TV. As per Cable TV Networks Act, the DMs and SPs are empowered to seizure of equipment and stoppage of illegal airing of channels including initiating criminal action against the cable TV operators.
The I & B Minister convened a meeting here where issues related to telecast of “umpermitted” TV channels, including ‘Peace TV’, were discussed. Emerging from the meeting, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said there are reports that channels are being broadcast which are not licensed.
“I&B ministry issues licence to some channels, only those channels are allowed to be broadcast by MSOs and cable operators. We are issuing advisories to district advisory committees and also to the State monitoring committees that they should cleanly observe the cable operators what they are broadcasting.
“Any content being broadcast in violation of the guidelines, action will be taken against them to the extent that confiscation of their entire broadcasting equipment,” Rahore told reporters.