Controversial preacher and Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) founder Zakir Naik has said that Islamic countries across the globe should collect data of non-Muslims in India who “attack” Muslims and arrest them when they land up in their countries.

In a video interaction with Pakistan-American preacher Yasir Qadhi, Naik said these Islamic nations should not only keep a record of non-Muslims in their countries but also in other countries, especially India.

“The rich non-Muslims travel to Gulf and different Muslim countries. If these Muslim countries have data of these people attacking or spreading venom against Muslims, they should arrest them under their (own) law once they enter their territory,” he said in his interaction on Qadhi’s YouTube channel.

Naik is currently living in Malaysia after fleeing India. He is facing charges in India of provoking communal disharmony and indulging in unlawful activities that incited terror in the country. He is also under investigation in India and Bangladesh for the terror attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka in July 2016.

The controversial Islamic preacher, who reportedly inspired the mastermind of Sri Lanka Easter blasts last year that killed 290 persons, said the number of Hindus who are against Muslims had trebled since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014.

“Before the BJP came to power, 5 per cent of Hindus were against Muslims, while 15 per cent Hindus would go out of their way to help Muslims. With BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) propagating animosity towards Muslims, the number of Hindus against Muslims increased to 10 per cent (during 2014-19).”

“After coming back to power the second time, the number of Hindus against Muslims has increased to 15 per cent. Five per cent Hindus now go out of their way to help Muslims, while 80 per cent are neutral,” Naik claimed.

He did not have any data to back his claim nor any proof to show that Muslims were being openly lynched in India during the BJP’s second term.

Even the 80 per cent of Hindus who were neutral were afraid to reveal their neutrality, he alleged.

“The BJP has an open agenda to attack Muslims. In order to hide its negative factors, it has raised issues such as Kashmir, triple talaq, war against Pakistan and the Babri Masjid,” Naik claimed.

The IRF founder charged that the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) situation was being utilised to blame Muslims, particularly the Tablighi Jamaat.

He claimed that those who attended the Tabligh Jamaat Nizamuddin Aalami Markaz congregations last month in Delhi were caught unawares by the nationwide lockdown since 24 March.

Neither Naik nor Qadhi had anything to say on the Tablighi Jamaat Nizamuddin Markaz chief Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, especially how he had asked his followers to ignore government’s orders and advisories.

“All television channels are misleading people, blaming Muslims for the spread of Covid-19. All these channels have been bought over by the BJP government,” Naik said, adding that pharmaceutical companies owned by Muslims were at the forefront of providing medicines to tackle the pandemic virus.

“Islamophobia is being spread in India alleging Muslims are behind the Covid-19 crisis. Islamophobia is also rising in countries such as the US and Brazil. Even in the Gulf, such a thing exists,” the IRF founder said.

However, he said the Gulf countries have now woken up and initiated action against non-Muslims spreading Islamophobia.

Naik reiterated his claim that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had sent an emissary offering him a free passage to India if he supported the abrogation of Article 370.

India has made it clear that it is pursuing its efforts to get the Islamic preacher deported from Malaysia and try him for the offences charged against him.

Naik said the Modi government’s plan was to drive him out from the country. He said when he decided not to return to India, 13-15 countries had offered him protection.

After weighing the pros and cons, the IRF preachers, who also faces money laundering charges, shortlisted three countries before finally deciding to shift to Malaysia.

He said almost all Islamic countries in the world were facing problems and Malaysia was the “best of the worst”.

That Malaysia was far off from the war zone, away from direct influence or bullying of Western nations and the country possessing a strong Muslim passport that ensures travel to 185 countries without a visa were among the reasons why he chose to take refuge in Putrajaya, the administrative capital.