Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Jan 1: Upholding the Mangaluru police commissioner's order, the Karnataka high court has refused to grant entry to noted Islamic scholar Dr Zakir Naik into Mangaluru city.

Dr Zakir Naik was supposed to participate in a peace meet organized by South Karnataka Salafi Movement (SKSM) on January 3. Days before the event, Mangaluru city police commissioner S Murugan issued a ban order on Dr Naik's entry, following protests against his visit from various quarters.

The vacation division bench of the high court comprising Justice B Manohar and Justice B Veerappa passed the order in response to a petition was filed by Citizen Action Forum, after obtaining the views of the state government on Dr Zakir Naik's participation in the programme organized by SKSM.

The high court allowed SKSM to go ahead with the programme, but denied permission for Dr Naik's participation in it.

A PIL submitted in the court earlier by 21 persons including advocate N P Amruthesh had contended that as Dr Naik's speech in the programme may lead to communal tension in Mangaluru, his entry should be banned. The high court had then sought a copy of the ban order and the state government's views on it.