Zakir Naik releases new video, accuses Modi govt of witch-hunt

The Indian investigating agencies and controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik are on a collision course, with the televangelist locking horns with the Narendra Modi government.

Naik has released a seven-minute video accusing the government of a witch-hunt, saying that the National Investigation Agency and Enforcement Directorate are wasting taxpayers' money to fulfil a “political agenda”. This is the second time Naik has released a video defending himself, the first time being in July last year.

While the video does not specify the location it was shot, Naik is based in Putrajaya in Malaysia at his residence. He works from his residence in Putrajaya and the video has been recorded at his residence.

Naik also does not specify in the video whether he intends to come back to India to face the law. When THE WEEK interviewed him at his residence in Malaysia where he has got permanent residency and roams freely, he had said that he fears he would be sent to jail without trial in India and sought an assurance from the Supreme Court that he would not be put behind bars till his trial is completed.

Naik is wanted by the NIA on charges of spreading hatred and promoting enmity through hate speeches even as his name has cropped up in Islamic State terror cases where the accused have allegedly confessed to have been motivated by his speeches. The ED is also working towards declaring Naik a fugitive economic offender after slapping charges of money laundering against him.

But Zakir Naik, who has been dismissing all charges against him, feels he is vindicated after Interpol on July 22 ordered deletion of his name and all files related to him from its database, thus giving him a clean chit in terror charges slapped against him by the Indian agencies.

But NIA sources said on July 29 that the agency will try to build a watertight case against Naik afresh to lay hands on him and bring him back to the country to face the law.

In his seven-minute video released on Tuesday, Naik addresses Modi, the NIA and the Enforcement Directorate, quoting the Upanishads, saying Satyamevam jayate nanrtam (truth alone triumphs, not falsehood).

In the statement, Naik says the recent Interpol decision is not shocking at all. “It may surprise the Indian media and the common man on the street, but it doesn’t surprise me. It should not surprise even the Indian agencies who know in their hearts that their charges are trumped up and fictitious. You can’t get Interpol to play your political, communal game. It needs proof of your claims and the reason why it continues to refuse an RCN is because the Indian agencies are unable to provide proof.”

Naik says that his lawyers told him that when charges of terrorism are involved, Interpol rarely refuses a red corner notice. “For it to refuse an RCN in my case shows how flimsy the Indian government's charges have been against me.”

“Having said that, being on Interpol's list does not automatically make you a terrorist. There's still a fair trial and court verdict needed for that. Interestingly, my case officers know the truth. They know that I have not committed a crime, any crime. They continue because they’re forced to by their political bosses,” Naik declared.

Naik takes on the government by saying that it is wasting time and taxpayers money over a “political agenda of the ruling party”, when they should be going after real criminals and solving real crimes.

“If three years was not enough to gather evidences against me, chances are they don’t exist. All that the officers need to do is to gather enough courage to refuse to be drawn into political games. All that they need to do is to follow the truth,” Naik declared.

Naik pulls no stops at taking potshots at the Modi government. He says the country has been regressing —socially and economically—since the Modi government took over.

Naik then quotes the Upanishads and Vedas saying, “If the officers, BJP ministers and even PM Modi follow the teachings of their own scriptures—the way I follow the Quran—India would become a great country that it was.”