BJP calls for boycotting FIFA World Cup in protest of Zakir Naik's invitation from Qatar

BJP Spokesperson Savio Rodrigues on Tuesday urged the government, Indian Football Associations, and Indians visiting the host country to boycott the athletic event in response to Qatar's invitation of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik to the FIFA World Cup.

According to reports, the host nation of the FIFA World Cup has invited the Indian fugitive Zakir Naik to give lectures on Islam.

Providing Naik with a platform at a time when the globe is fighting terrorism, according to a statement by Rodrigues, is equivalent to allowing a "terror sympathiser" to "spread hate."

"A worldwide event is the FIFA World Cup. Thousands of spectators travel from all over the world to see this spectacular sport, and millions more watch it online and on television. Giving Zakir Naik a forum at a time when the world is battling international terrorism is giving a terrorist a platform to preach his radicalism and hatred, "he added.

The BJP leader urged both domestic and foreign victims of terrorism to abstain from attending the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

The Zakir Naik-founded Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) was designated an unlawful group earlier this year by the Home Ministry, who also imposed a five-year ban on it.

According to Al Arabiya News, a presenter for the Qatari state-owned sports channel Alkass, Faisal Alhajri, "Preacher Sheikh Zakir Naik is present in Qatar during the World Cup and will offer many religious lectures throughout the tournament."

The MHA notification said that Zakir Naik, the IRF's founder, was endorsing known terrorists in his speeches, which made them unacceptable.

The letter went on to say that the IRF founder has also been advocating for the forced conversion of young people to Islam, defending suicide bombings, and publishing offensive statements against Hindus, Hindu Gods, and other religions that are insulting to other faiths.

The notification said, "Naik has also been actively encouraging Muslim youth and terrorists both domestically and overseas to carry out terrorist attacks." Furthermore, it said that illegal acts by the IRF, its members, and supporters have been observed in Gujarat, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Odisha.