Peeved with party MP from Basirhat Idris Ali’s statement that Islamic televangelist Zakir Naik’s Peace TV should not be banned because he did not support/promote terrorism in his speeches, Trinamul Co
Peeved with party MP from Basirhat Idris Ali’s statement that Islamic televangelist Zakir Naik’s Peace TV should not be banned because he did not support/promote terrorism in his speeches, Trinamul Congress on Monday rapped him for commenting on a “sensitive” issue. “My colleague, Idris Ali, MP, has been cautioned for making a statement without the consent of the party. The issue he commented on is sensitive and hasn’t been discussed by us internally. The party will discuss and then form an opinion,” Trinamul Congress chief national spokesperson Derek O’Brien said in a statement. At a programme at Moulali Yuva Kendra, when asked to comment on Bangladesh’s decision to ban Peace TV which airs the controversial preacher’s speeches, Mr Ali said it would have no impact. In fact, it would even boost his popularity, he added.
“I am not concerned with what Bangladesh does. But as a citizen of India, I don’t think merely banning will have any impact, as that would mean providing more publicity to him,” he had said, responding to a question from a news agency, adding that he did not believe that Naik’s speeches supported terrorism.
Mr O’Brien issued the statement soon thereafter cautioning Mr Ali and thus making it clear that the party did not want to be involved in a controversy.
When contacted over the phone for his reaction, the MP said, “What I have said is purely my personal opinion. I am not aware of what the party has said regarding my statement. But if my party seeks an explanation from me, I will explain my standpoint. Then the party may do whatever it thinks right.”
Dhaka recently banned the airing of Peace TV’s programmes. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik, 51, is an Islamic preacher, who founded the Islamic Research Foundation in 1991 when he started Dawah or religious preaching.
Meanwhile, Mr Naik on Monday abandoned plans for a press conference on Skype from Saudi Arabia. He instead issued a written statement that said: “I do not support terrorism or violence in any form whatsoever. I have never supported any terrorist organisations.”
