Bengaluru: Islamic preacher Dr. Zakir Naik's Mangaluru program can be held at the same venue after two months, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara assured a Muslim delegation Wednesday.
Parameshwara's assurance came after a delegation of South Karnataka Salafi Movement (SKSM), Mangaluru called on the minister following the prohibitory order on the entry of Dr. Zakir Naik in the city imposed by the local police department. District-in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai was also present in the meeting.
Dr. Zakir Naik, the renowned Islamic preacher who ranked 62 in the list of the ‘500 Most Influential Muslims in the World’ published by George Washington University in the year 2011 and 2012, was scheduled to address a public meeting in Mangaluru on January 03.
But, the program was cancelled after police imposed a ban on Dr Zakir Naik's entry in Mangaluru after local Bajrang Dal leaders and other Hindutva organisations protested and announced to hold a parallel program in the city addressed by VHP leader Pravin Togadia.
The police also imposed similar ban on Pravin Togadia's rally in the city.
The program to be oragnised by South Karnataka Salafi Movement (SKSM) in association with other organisations had the backing and support of District-in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai. Besides supporting Dr Zakir Naik's program in Mangaluru, the minsiter had also asked the non-Muslims to extend their support to the Muslim preacher's visit to the city.
After meeting the Karnataka Home Minister, Ismail Shafi of South Karnataka Salafi Movement (SKSM) took a potshot at Police Commissioner S. Murugan for cancelling Dr. Zakir Naik's visit in the last minute, and termed it as unconstitutional and insult to religion at a press meet on Wednesday.