Home Ministry that has been extraordinary in taking action over the embezzlement by Teesta Setalwad and Indira Jaisingh's NGOs, how did it go loose on Zakir Naik?
It has been far clear that the gothic terror by ISIS has marked the footprints over the land of India. Dhaka attack proved the connection of the terrorist's inspiration with Islamic Fanaticism Inculcator Zakir Naik.
And finally, the midst of a suddenly popped-up the large demand to have the crackdown over Zakir Naik has laid the central government down in the situation of waking up very late. When several questions arising around him like how big empire he has, who are funding his massive programs? He accepted the huge foreign funds and how did the Government remain in sound sleep? The home ministry is now acting in a paradoxical manner to take action over him.
Though the Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that CDs of Naik's speeches are being examined for necessary action, and the government would not compromise on the issue of terrorism. But the ministry that has been extraordinary in taking action over the embezzlement by Teesta Setalwad and Indira Jaisingh's NGOs, how did Govt go loose on Zakir Naik? Despite this, the issue was already brought up to light three years ago, and Congress put the matter under the carpet. Another hand, Maharashtra State Intelligence Dept. has given clean chit to Naik and clarified about no arrest on his return to India
A probe launched Home Ministry is now looking into the allegations of foreign funding to IRF being diverted into political activities. Agencies are also investigating if the NGO's funds were used to induce people towards Islam and "attracting" youths towards terror, the MHA official said to the Press. All such activities are contrary to FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act), and any violation invites punitive action.
But this late probe can't make Govt the charge free of sleeping tight over FCRA misuse by Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation. According to declared figures by Home Ministry Itself, IRF has received the foreign fund roughly around 15 crores till 2015. Quite apprehensive, Naik received this fund under the educational purpose and did not mention the names of organisations from where he received the funds under the category of 'institutional funding'. Further, Naik's IRF has not given the details of received fund during the year of 2014-15 and has shown Zero figure of foreign funding in the years of 2008-09 and 2012-13. In 2013, this was the time when the questions were raised by few Hindu organisations and media to investigate his funding. Thus IRF possibly may have suppressed the information about the foreign fund.
Zakir Naik's NGO got funding from UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, UK, USA, Hong Kong, Switzerland and other middle east countries. He has got fund from Syria too. About 50 percent and 28 percent of the total fund, he received from UAE and Saudi Arabia respectively. As per FCRA norms, an institute can take fund is not in contravention of the provisions contained in the provisions of Section 9(e) and Section 12(4)(f) of the Act which states that the acceptance of foreign contribution is not likely to affect prejudicially,
(A) the sovereignty and integrity of India; or.
(B) the security, strategic, scientific or economic interest of the state; or
(C) the public interest; or
(D) freedom or fairness of election to any legislature; or
(E) friendly relations with any foreign state; or
(F) harmony between religious, racial, social, linguistic or regional groups, castes or communities.
But Naik's NGO, under the grave charges for encouraging youth to become the terrorists, looks clear violative of above prerequisites of the law. The major portion of foreign funds received by IRF has diverted to run PEACE TV, a 24x7 international Islamic preaching channel and conduct the programs for addressing the mass. IRF has willfully hidden the details of expenditures. If it gets scrutinised properly, there would be high chances of the revelation of the funds being diverted to PEACE TV, which is also illegal according to the clauses of FCRA to run or own a News Paper or Media.
Notable Advocate at Mumbai High Court, Sanjiv Punalekar, who has taken the matter of Naik's foreign funding to Home Ministry and PMO in 2014, told Jan-Satyagrah that Naik has been receiving the huge foreign funds from the middle east countries, even from the English countries like UK, USA, Switzerland, Australia, from where the Christian Evangelic agencies often receive the fund. These countries have a common pool of international donor agencies like Swissaid from Switzerland, world vision from the USA. Noteworthy, Swissaid is the same organisation which uses to fund Narendra Dabholkar's NGO. If the matter goes through a fair investigation, probably, it will reveal the names of Several like Digvijay Singh, K Rahman who acted as the safeguards against the action over Zakir Naik.
