Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS)
Mangaluru, Dec 30: After police commissioner S Murugan issued a week-long ban on the entry of Islamic scholar Dr Zakir Naik who was scheduled to participate in a programme to be held on January 2, the organizers of the programme, South Karnataka Salafi Movement (SKSM) on Wednesday December 30 demanded a withdraw of the ban order and informed that the programme has been postponed by two months on the advice of home minister Dr G Parameshwara.
Addressing a press meet here, SKSM vice-president Ismail Shafi said, "Dr Zakir Naik is a multi-religious scholar. We had invited him for a peace meet which was to be held on January 2, but the Mangaluru police commissioner has issued a ban on his entry. This is against the Constitutional right of freedom of religion of the Muslim community, and a disrespct to Islam.
"On December 28, SKSM led a delegation to Bengaluru and met home minister Dr G Parameshwara and discussed the issue in the presence of district in-charge minister Ramanath Rai. The home minister requested us to postpone the programme by two months, and accordingly, we have postponed the event.
Dr Zakir Naik will attend the programme which will be held after two months," he said.
Dismissing allegations that Dr Zakir Naik would have made a provocative speech, he said, "Dr Zakir Naik has knowledge of holy books of all religions, be it Islam, Hinduism, or Christianity. He is a scholar who has been honoured with several awards by Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. He has never given provocative speeches or condemned any religion, instead he gives clear analyses of what the religious books say, and thereby conveys their true messages and creates hamony between people of various religions. He only gives references from various holy books."
Alleging that false complaints have been filed against Dr Naik, he said, "Some miscreants have morphed videos of his speeches by cutting and joining some portions, in order to file complaints with false allegations that he condemns other religions. No case has been booked against Dr Zakir Naik, only false complaints have been given. There has never been any notice from the court or arrest warrant against him.
"There is another allegation that he has links with terrorists - this is totally false. He has no contact with any terror organization. A person who strongly believes in Islam, which condemns harming innocents, will not have any contact with terror outfits," he added.
"Dr Zakir Naik has addressed many conventions in Mumbai and various places, even when BJP-Shiv Sena government was in power in Maharashtra and Bal Thackeray was alive. No incident of communal tension erupted and he did not make any provocative speech. All had supported the convention in Mumbai. In Bengaluru too, he addressed a convention but there was no problem," Shafi said.
"The police commissioner should withdraw the ban and allow Dr Zakir Naik to participate in the convention.
The home minister has assured us full cooperation in organizing the event after two months," he added.
Asked about the ban on Dr Zakir Naik in Britain, he said, "It was only for a temporary reason and not a permanent ban. That way, even Prime Ministr Narendra Modi was not allowed in the US earlier, but now he has visited US."
SKSM secretary Basheer Ahmed Shalimar, convener of the programm reception committee T M Haneef Chokkabettu were present.