Sure India will convey its views in strongest terms: Hardeep Puri on Zakir Naik's World Cup 'invite'
Chandigarh, Nov 22: Amid reports of Qatar inviting controversial Islamic preacher and Indian fugitive Zakir Naik to the FIFA World Cup, Union Minister Hardeep Puri on Tuesday said he was sure that India would convey its views on the matter in the "strongest possible terms" to the concerned authorities.
At the same time, the minister for Housing and Urban Affairs said he has no knowledge of the invitation being extended to Naik.
Puri was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here.
Naik, a televangelist, reportedly left India in 2016 and moved to Malaysia, where he was granted permanent residency.
India had sent a request to Malaysia for his extradition.
Asked about Qatar reportedly inviting Naik to the FIFA World Cup, Puri said, "I have no knowledge of that".
When asked if India will lodge a protest, he replied, "I am sure India took it up and will take it up. But the point is he is a Malaysian national and if he is invited somewhere... whether they knew, I have no knowledge of that. I have as much access to information as you have."
"You can ask me my views on Zakir Naik. My views and your views are the same on that," he added.
Replying to a related question, the minister said, "We (India) have our views on him and I am sure they will be conveyed in the strongest possible terms to the concerned authorities."
Naik is banned in the UK and Canada for his hate speech against other religions. He is among the 16 banned Islamic scholars in Malaysia.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Poll affidavit: Modi's assets total Rs 3 crore, mostly fixed deposits
Varanasi (UP), May 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi possesses assets amounting to a little over Rs 3 crore, most of it in bank fixed deposits, according to his election affidavit.
As required, Modi submitted the affidavit while filing his nomination papers Tuesday as an election candidate from the Varanasi parliamentary constituency, a seat he has held twice earlier.
According to the affidavit displayed on the Election Commission website, his movable assets are worth Rs 3,02,06,889. Most of this amount is in the form of fixed deposits with the State Bank of India that total over 2.85 crore.
Other assets include four gold rings weighing 45 grams valued at Rs 2.67 lakh, cash in hand totalling Rs 52,920, National Savings Certificates worth Rs 9.12 lakh and income tax deduction of Rs 3.33 lakh for the past financial year.
Under “immovable assets”, the affidavit says "Nil". Typically, land and houses fall under this category.
Jashodaben is mentioned as Modi’s spouse. On assets held by her, the document says "Not known". The two live apart.
No criminal case is pending against Modi, nor has he been convicted of any crime, according to the document. There are no liabilities due to the government.
The prime minister is described as a resident of Ahmedabad, and his profession as public life and political activity.
He did his SSC in 1967, got a BA degree from Delhi University in 1978 and an MA from Gujarat University in 1983.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Modi had declared assets worth Rs 2.5 crore including a residential plot in Gujarat's Gandhinagar, fixed deposits of Rs 1.27 crore and Rs 38,750 cash in hand.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he disclosed total assets of Rs 1.65 crore.
The PM has a website and is on Facebook, microblogging site X, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp, according to the affidavit.
