Protest against Islamic preacher Zakir Naik outside Mumbai office, security beefed up

Mumbai: Protests broke out on Thursday outside the office of Islamic preacher and scholar Zakir Naik, who is under scanner after the Dhaka terror strike, in Mumbai.

The Mumbai Police has increased security outside his office.

On Wednesday, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said Naik's speech was a "matter of concern for us" and the Indian agencies were looking into it.

 

Also, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant has demanded an immediate ban on Zakir Naik.

However, Naik has condemned the attack in Dhaka and said that the term Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (IS) is actually “un-Islamic”, reported The Indian Express.

 

“By using the name Islamic State, we are condemning Islam… They are the anti-Islamic state of Iraq and Syria that has killed innocent foreigners. The name is given by enemies of Islam.” said Naik.

"My speeches on Islam and terror are being taken out of context", said Naik in an interview with CNN-News18.

 

Born and living in Mumbai, the 50-year-old Naik is a qualified doctor who left the medical profession to set up the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), which runs the Islamic International School and NGO United Islamic Aid for the poor and destitute.