Indian government slaps five-year ban on Zakir Naik`s NGO

MUMBAI: On the recommendation of Mumbai Police and National Security Agency, the Indian government has imposed a five-year ban on International Research Foundation.

The research NGO is headed by renowned Islamic scholar Dr Zakir Naik. The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting held in New Delhi.

Days after militants killed more than 20 hostages in Bangladesh, Indian and Bangladeshi law enforcement agencies launched a probe against the speeches of Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik, whose sermons were said to have allegedly inspired two of the Dhaka attackers.

"I disagree that I inspired this act of killing innocent people" and declared "terrorism is Devil-ish," Dr Naik said.

Naik told The Indian Express that he condemns the attack. “By using the name Islamic State, we are condemning Islam… They are the 'anti-Islamic state of Iraq and Syria' that has killed innocent foreigners. The name is given by enemies of Islam,” he said.