Media trial of Dr Zakir Naik should end – MIM

Aurangabad:  The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) condemns the media trial of Zakir Naik, specialist in comparative religions. AIMIM respects and follows the rule of the land and feels nobody could be pronounced guilty unless the court gives its judgement by following the due process of law.

It may be recalled that the right to practice religion and the right to free expression are fundamental rights of every Indian as enshrined in the Indian Constitution. This means any individual can practice, profess and propagate his religion without hurting the religious beliefs and sentiments of other religions.

By hounding Zakir Naik, the media, particularly some national television channels, have already pronounced their judgement even when a formal case is yet to be registered against him. On mere hearsay, the media cannot pronounce anybody as a supporter of terrorism. This media trial of Zakir Naik should end. If any individual, whosoever it may be,breaks the rule of the land, the law should take its own course. If there is concrete proof of violation of any law by anyone, strict action shall be initiated.

But, ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre and in Maharashtra, the general trend is that the investigating agencies charge someone for wrongdoing and the media pronounces the accused as guilty even before the court deliversits judgement. This poses a grave threat to the social fabric and democratic set up of the country and could prove to be detrimental to communal harmony.

Zakir Naik is a well known specialist who has been delivering lectures on comparative studies of different religions. He commands a following among Muslims but there are many others in the community who do not concur with his views. Islam is a very liberal religion and there may be differences of opinions and views about certain rituals but in the end everyMuslim in the world follows One Allah, One Prophet and One Quran.

All Muslim leaders and ulemas in India have consistently condemned the ISIS from the very beginning and maintained that ISIS is a threat to mankind. The AIMIM strongly condemns the ISIS of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and al-Qaeda of Osama Bin Laden. Both are evil outfits. These terrorist groups have been the cause of thekillings of countless Muslims and non-Muslims.