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Before the Dhaka attack at the beginning of the month, Mumbai-based Dr Zakir Naik was known as one of the most popular Islamic preachers and Muslim intellectuals. No doubt, controversy follows fame. Just that, in Naik’s case it took a little longer. The international Islamic preacher was accused of supporting terrorist Osama bin Laden and justifying suicide bombings. However, Naik, who is banned from giving speeches in Britain and Canada, maintained that his statements were taken out of context. But the attack at a cafe in Dhaka’s diplomatic enclave and the media trial of terrorists that followed turned Zakir Naik into an ambassador of terrorism. But is he really that?
A report by Daily Star surfaced claiming that Zakir Naik ‘inspired’ one of the terrorists who killed 29 people in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka. Indian media went crazy after this was ‘revealed’. While intelligence agencies are still probing the role of Naik in terror-related cases, many media houses including the channel Times Now sounded the verdict and pronounced him guilty of promoting terror activities. (ALSO READ: Clean chit to Zakir Naik, Maharashtra SID won’t arrest Islamic preacher)
Daily Star issued a clarification saying that it didn’t report that any terrorist was inspired by Zakir Naik, but the Indian media left no stone unturned to portray the Islamic preacher in a bad light. Two days ago, the newspaper issued a statement with regards to its article on Zakir Naik.
“In a Youtube speech on Friday, India-based Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik accused The Daily Star of sensationalising a report by saying that he was “responsible for inspiring one of the terrorists of the attack in Dhaka”. The Daily Star categorically denies this allegation and wants to say it did not report that any terrorist was inspired by Zakir Naik to kill innocent people. The report said that one of the terrorists had propagated on Facebook last year quoting Peace TV’s preacher Zakir Naik urging all Muslims to be “terrorists”. In his video speech, Dr Naik himself said he has millions of followers in Bangladesh. Our report was an attempt to show how young minds were interpreting Dr Naik’s views in ways that were perhaps not intended for,” stated the Daily Star.
The entire controversy was around the Daily Star report. But the newspaper denied the misinterpretation of its article by the media. While the newspaper just reported that Rohan Imtiaz, one of the terrorists involved in Dhaka attack, had shared a video of Naik’s in 2015, the media jumped to the conclusion that the preacher inspired them for the heinous act.
‘Justice’ Arnab Goswami announced on national television that it has been proved that Dr Zakir Naik was responsible for the Dhaka attack. Other news channels also followed the footsteps of Times Now and branded Naik as a preacher of terror. Notably, not a single channel or newspaper apologised after Daily Star‘s clarification.
WATCH: Arnab says #StopZakirNaik https://t.co/PJ5FB9om2h
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) July 6, 2016
WATCH: Arnab’s take on #ProZakirLeague https://t.co/5tjU7t61pS
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) July 12, 2016
After a look into hundreds of past speeches of Dr Zakir Naik, Maharashtra State Intelligence Department (SID) found no reason to register a case against the televangelist for now. An SID official said that a case cannot be made out against him for now. But the investigation of SID could not prove Naik innocent in the eyes of the media, which is still after Naik although not a single case has been registered against him.
Let’s consider for once that Zakir Naik was inciting violence through his sermons, like Satyapal Singh, BJP MP and former Mumbai police commissioner, says. Singh claims that he had made a detailed report about Naik in 2008 but the Congress-led UPA government didn’t bother to act on it. But Singh clarified that Naik’s funds were under the scanner and not his alleged links with terror outfits. When asked why he failed to take any action against Naik, Singh told India Today, “The central government should act against the FCRA violators. It’s beyond my domain.”
Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said that Zakir Naik’s Peace TV is affecting peace in the country. The channel hasn’t been given permission to broadcast in the country. But the minister will also agree that Peace TV has been there on television sets for years, even if it has no permission.
If Peace TV was indeed posing a threat to law and order, why didn’t the government take necessary action against it? Is it because the government had no proof that Naik was promoting terrorism through his TV channel?
By hounding Zakir Naik, some news channels have already pronounced their judgement against him. Yes, there are Muslims who don’t endorse what Naik says. He has made some controversial statements, too. But as far as the Dhaka attack is concerned, there is no concrete evidence against him.
The media must stop running after Dr Zakir Naik and let the law take its own course. The press should stick to reporting news rather than pronouncing the accused guilty. Let us know your views on the issue.
Story edited by Shweta Parande.
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