Kiren Rijiju Trashes Zakir Naik's "False Propaganda" Over Waqf Amendment Bill

Controversial preacher Zakir Naik, wanted in India for alleged money laundering and hate speeches, had left the country in 2016.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused fugitive Islamic preacher Zakir Naik of trying to mislead Indian Muslims and spreading "false propaganda" over the government's Waqf Amendment Bill. The controversial preacher had said the proposed law bore "evil repercussions" and appealed to the Muslims to send in their rejections to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) of the Indian Parliament that is examining the Bill. Sharing a QR code and an URL to an online petition, he said at least 5 million Indian Muslims must send their rejections by September 13.

Mr Rijiju called Naik's online post as "misleading" and "false propaganda".

"Please do not mislead the innocent Muslims from outside our country. India is a democratic country and people have the right to their own opinion. False propaganda will lead to wrong narratives," said the Union Minister.