Zakir Nayek 'hate speech': Cong takes a dig at Jaitley

Congress today took a dig at Arun Jaitley, who had held the Information and Broadcasting portfolio, over the controversy surrounding Indian Islamic preacher Zakir Nayek whose 'hate speech' is reported to have inspired one of the five Bangladeshi militants involved in the Dhaka carnage.

"If a platform (channel) has been violating the programme code and has been allegedly putting up stuff which is inflammatory, then I am surprised as to why the Ministry of I&B has chosen to remain silent till this point in time.

"This is just yet another example of the inefficiency of the previous incumbent of this Ministry," party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters, without naming Jaitley.

Jaitley, who is the Finance Minister, was divested of the I&B portfolio in yesterday's reshuffle. It has now gone to M Venkaiah Naidu.

Tewari, who is a former I&B Minister, said if there is a "nexus" between an alleged provocative statement and a violent act that definitely qualifies for legal action.

Nayek, in his lecture aired on Peace TV, an international Islamic channel, had reportedly "urged all Muslims to be terrorists".

"Insofaras the platform is concerned, under the Cable Television Regulation Act 1995, there is a Programme and Advertising Code every TV channel is supposed to follow. It is a part of their licensing condition," Tewari said.

He said that if a particular TV channel is violating the code and is inciting or allegedly inciting hatred or making inflammatory programming, then the I&B Ministry should have acted. "Why have they not acted till now?" he asked.

Tewari's remarks came close on the heels of Union Minister of state for Home Kiren Rijiju, saying Nayek's speech is a matter of concern.

Replying to questions at the Congress briefing regarding performance of Jaitley as Finance Minister, Tewari was sharply critical of him.

He accused the Finance Minister of "destroying" the Indian economy which he claimed was having a growth rate of a mere five per cent as against 7.5 per cent stated by the government.