Modi didn't ask me to return Zakir Naik, says Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad
Kuala Lumpur, Sep 17: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday said that his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi did not request the extradition of Zakir Naik, wanted in India for money laundering and terror-related charges, and his country is looking for a place to send the radical preacher.
Naik, a 53-year-old radical television preacher, left India in 2016 and subsequently moved to the largely Muslim Malaysia, where he was granted permanent residency.
Mahathir said that Modi, whom he met in Russia during an economic forum earlier this month, made no extradition request for the controversial Islamic televangelist despite official notice from New Delhi.
Briefing reporters on Prime Minister's bilateral meeting with Mahathir, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had said that Modi raised the issue of Naik's extradition with the Malaysian premier.
"Not many countries want him. I met with Modi. He didn't ask me for this man," Mahathir told Malaysian radio station BFM 89.9 when asked about Naik's extradition.
He also said that Malaysia was looking for a place to send Zakir who has made racially sensitive comments against Hindu and Chinese Malaysians recently.
The prime minister then reaffirmed that Zakir will no longer be allowed to publicly speak in Malaysia following his racially divisive remarks.
"Well, he's not a national of this country. He has been given, I think by the previous government, permanent residence status. A permanent resident isn't supposed to make any comments on this country's systems and politics. He has breached that. He is now not allowed to speak.
"We are trying to find some place he can go to but at the moment, no one wants to accept him (Naik)," he said.
Naik is wanted by Indian authorities since 2016 for alleged money laundering and inciting extremism through hate speeches.
He has been banned from any public activities in the multi-ethnic country after his remarks against Malaysian Hindus and Chinese on August 8.
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RR beat RCB by six wickets in IPL
Guwahati (PTI): Blistering fifties by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel powered Rajasthan Royals to a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL match here on Friday.
Sent in to bat, RCB rode on a fighting half-century by skipper Rajat Patidar (63) to post 201 for 8.
Virat Kohli (32), Romario Shepherd (22) and Venkatesh Iyer (29) also chipped in with useful contributions.
In reply, Sooryavanshi (78 off 26 balls) and Dhruv Jurel (81 not out off 43 balls) shared a 37-ball 108-run partnership for the second wicket to set the platform. Krunal Pandya (2/30) tried to bring them back with back-to-back wickets.
But Jurel, in the company of Ravindra Jadeja (24), completed the task with another 68-run stand, with two overs to spare.
For RR, Jofra Archer (2/33), Ravi Bishnoi (2/32) and Brijesh Sharma (2/37) took two wickets.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 201 for 8 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 63; Jofra Archer 2/33, Ravi Bishnoi 2/32, Brijesh Sharma 2/37).
Rajasthan Royals: 202 for 4 in 18 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 78, Dhruv Jurel 80 not out; Krunal Pandya 2/30, Josh Hazlewood 2/44).
