Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik has slammed the Indian media for peddling fake news about his extradition to India.
Naik who is currently in Malaysia is facing various charges, including for hate speech and money laundering through the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) that he founded.
In a video posted on Facebook, Naik named leading Indian media houses and said:
I would like to thank television channels and newspapers for publishing false news against me. Two days ago, on 4 July 2018, most of the Indian newspapers and channels published and broadcasted that Dr Zakir Naik has been arrested in Malaysia and he is going to be deported on the same day. With no doubt, it was proven to be fake news.
Naming a leading english channel, Naik says the channel tried to corroborate the fake news with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit saying Modi visited Malaysia to deport him.
Naik goes on to blame the channels and newspapers for hounding him for the past two years and for publishing news against him.
On 1 July 2016 there was a terrorist attack in Dhaka where 20 people were killed. One newspaper in Dhaka published a report saying that one of terrorist was inspired by me. Exactly the next day, almost all the major news channels and newspapers started speaking against me.
Naik claims that even when the Dhaka based newspaper retracted the story, the Indian channels kept hounding him.
Citing the Quran, Naik said that Allah says whatever information you get, check it up before you pass it on.
“Therefore I request all the viewers/readers, check it up before you get convinced or pass it on,” he added.
The Indian government has been working towards Naik’s extradition.
Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had earlier said on 5 July, “We had made a formal request for extradition of Zakir Naik, an Indian national living in Malaysia. It was made as per the extradition treaty we have in place with Malaysia. At this stage, all I can say is that our request is under active consideration of the Malaysian authorities.”
(With inputs from news agencies)
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