Zakir Naik rules out return to India while BJP remains in power

Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who is wanted by Indian authorities, has ruled out returning to India while Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remains in power, saying he fears he would not be allowed to leave the country if he went back.

Naik made the remarks during a meeting with a journalist from Republic Media Network in Putrajaya on October 13. The network published the interview on its Republic World platform on October 21, presenting it as an undercover sting operation, according to Malaysian daily The Sun Malaysia.

“If I go before that, when BJP is still there, I will not be able to come out again,” he was quoted as saying.

During the conversation, Naik addressed the criminal allegations against him, criticised the Modi government and predicted that the BJP could lose power before the next general election, scheduled for 2029.

Indian authorities have pursued allegations against Naik, including money laundering and hate speech. He has Malaysian permanent resident status and has repeatedly denied the allegations, maintaining that there is no evidence against him.

“They are just allegations. There is no proof,” he said.

Naik also said he was willing to present evidence before an Indian court through a video link. However, he alleged that Indian authorities wanted him to appear in person, which he feared would prevent him from leaving the country.

“If I go in person, I will not be able to come out again. I will just remain inside. They will not give me a fair trial,” he said.

Discussing the country's political future, Naik said public dissatisfaction could undermine the BJP before the next general election. He suggested the government might not last until the polls.

“I don’t think the BJP will survive until the next election. Even if it survives, it will not win, Insha-Allah,” he was quoted as saying by Republic World.

Asked about the prospect of the opposition Congress party returning to power, Naik said he would prefer Congress to the BJP. Although he questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's maturity and political experience, he considered him a better choice than Modi.

“He is better than Modi. He is honest, not corrupt and does not lie,” Naik said.

He also pointed to unemployment and the depreciation of the Indian rupee as signs of the country's economic difficulties.

The discussion covered protests over alleged manipulation of electoral rolls and demands for the resignation of India's chief election commissioner. Republic World also linked the conversation to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical political movement associated with youth-led protests against the government.

However, the published interview did not establish that Naik had organised or coordinated the demonstrations.

Toward the end of the conversation, Naik said he was scheduled to visit Bangladesh to deliver a lecture.

Although Republic World presented the encounter as a sting operation, the published footage did not establish whether Naik knew that the person speaking with him was a journalist conducting an undercover assignment.

Naik's presence in Malaysia has long been a source of contention between Kuala Lumpur and New Delhi.

He moved to Malaysia amid increasing scrutiny of his activities in India. Indian authorities declared his Islamic Research Foundation an unlawful association in 2016, while Indian agencies subsequently pursued allegations against him, including money laundering and other offences.

Malaysia granted him permanent resident status in 2015.

In 2018, then Malaysian prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad defended the country's decision not to extradite Naik, saying Malaysia was entitled to reject India's request.

The government's position at the time was that Naik could remain in Malaysia provided he did not cause problems in the country.

The matter returned to the spotlight last month when Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim confirmed that he had discussed Naik's case with Indian representatives during a visit to New Delhi.

In an interview with NDTV, Anwar said the discussions would remain private in the interests of both countries and as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral relations.

He said any decision concerning India's extradition request would require careful consideration of the rule of law and Malaysia-India relations.

Anwar did not announce a decision to extradite Naik, leaving the issue unresolved.

Naik's latest remarks suggest that he has no intention of voluntarily returning to India for as long as the BJP remains in power.