Govt extends ban on Zakir Naik's IRF for 5 more years

The Ministry of Home Affairs MHA has extended a ban on the Islamic Research Foundation IRF founded by the controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik for five more yearsA notification issued by the MHA on November 15 said that Islamic Research Foundation IFB has been indulging in activities prejudicial to the security of the country and have the potential of disturbing peace and communal harmony and disrupting the secular fabric of the countryIn exercise of the powers conferred by subsection 1 of section 3 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967 37 of 1967 the Central Government declared the IRF as an unlawful association vide notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Home Affairs number SO 3460E dated the 17th November 2016 the MHA notification readsThe MHA notification also said that the Central government is of the opinion that the IRF and its members particularly the founder and president of the IRF Dr Zakir Naik has been encouraging and aiding its followers to promote or attempt to promote on grounds of religion disharmony or feeling of enmity hatred or ill will between different religious communities and groups which are prejudicial to the integrity and security of the countryThe Central government further observed that the unlawful activities of the IRF are not curbed and controlled immediately it will take the opportunity to continue its subversive activities and reorganise its activists who are still abscondingThe government also apprehended that the IRF cadre and supporters may disrupt the secular fabric of the country by polluting the minds of the people by creating communal disharmony propagate antinational sentiments escalate secessionism by supporting militancy and undertake activities which are prejudicial to the sovereignty integrity and security of the country and it was necessary to extend the ban on IRF for five years moreThe Centre had declared the IRF an unlawful organisation for the first time on November 17 2016 under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967 37 of 1967 for a period of five years The ban was to expire on TuesdayZakir Naik an Indian born controversial Islamic preacher had fled to Malaysia in 2016 when the police lodged a case against him for his anti national activities including promoting hatred among the religious communities through his speechesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever