Zakir Naik to Not Return for 2-3 Weeks, Will Fly to Africa Instead

Zakir Naik, who is in Saudi Arabia, is scheduled to address the media via Skype on Tuesday, 12 July.

Indian Islamic preacher Zakir Naik. (Photo: The Quint)

Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who was scheduled to return to Mumbai from Saudi Arabia on Monday, has postponed his return. He is unlikely to return for another two to three weeks as he is planning to visit some African countries for public speeches.

Naik also cancelled his press conference scheduled for Tuesday but will address the media through skype on the allegations of him inspiring militants through his speeches, an aide of the preacher said on Monday.

Dr Zakir Naik was never supposed to be physically present for the media briefing that was to take place on Tuesday. He had decided that he will address the media through Skype and answer all queries that media persons may have had. After performing Umrah, he is scheduled to travel to Jeddah from where he will visit Africa for his public talks scheduled there.

He, however, said that Naik is not running away from any inquiry and that he is only sticking to his travel schedule worked out in advance.

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Apart from coming under scanner in India, Bangladesh has also banned the broadcast of Naik’s Peace TV,cracking down on the channel and radical sermons by the ‘tele-evnagelist’.

Shiv Sena has demanded arrest of Naik on his landing in India and dismantling of his TV network.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party Maharashtra unit President Abu Azmi came in support of Naik and sought to know why action has not been taken for the last 25 years if his speeches are inspiring terrorists, and called for a fair inquiry into charges against him.

(With PTI Inputs.)