Zakat Foundation, supporting Muslim UPSC aspirants, got funds from terror-linked outfits: Sudarshan TV editor to SC

Sudarshan News Editor-in-Chief Suresh Chavhanke defended before the Supreme Court his TV series Bindas Bol, its UPSC Jihad episode and the claim that the Zakat Foundation, which supported Muslim aspirants for the IAS and IPS services in the country, had received funds from terror-linked organisations across the world.

“It is not that all contributors to the Foundation are terror-linked," Chavhanke said. "However, some contributors are linked to organisations or are organisations that fund extremist groups. The funds received by the Zakat Foundation, in turn, are used to support aspirants for IAS, IPS or UPSC."

Maintaining that there was no justification for the pre-telecast ban on his remaining programme episodes, Chavhanke said the issue was a “matter of grave public interest” and “national security” must be subject to public debate and discussion.

“Consistent with the national security requirements of our country, there ought to be a public debate and discussion on the source of such funding," he said. “There is no statement or message in the four episodes broadcast that members of a particular community should not join UPSC, which is an open competitive examination and members of every community may participate in the entrance exam and qualify.”

The thrust of the particular programme episode is that there appears to be a conspiracy which needs to be investigated by NIA or CBI, he said. "It appears that terror-linked organisations are funding the Zakat Foundation of India, which in turn is supporting the UPSC aspirants,” Chavhanke said.

He contended that Syed Zafar Mahmood, founder of the Zakat Foundation of India is “closely associated with...Zakir Naik,” whose Islamic Research Foundation was banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

"As per GOI records, Zakat Foundation received donations from Madina Trust UK, which is also a trustee with Islamic Foundation (IF)," Chavhanke said. "The Times, UK, reported that two IF trustees were on the UN sanctions list of people associated with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda."

Chavhanke claimed that the Zakat Foundation also received donations from Muslim Aid (UK). According to Middle East Forum’s Islamist Watch Director Sam Westrop, Muslim Aid (Pakistan) head Gen Khalid Latif was with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence. Muslim Aid (Pak) also allegedly works closely with the Hizbul Mujahideen.

Chavhanke said, "Following a probe by the British media and inquiry by Britain’s charity regulator in 2010, Muslim Aid, UK, was found (and admitted) to have been funding a number of front organisations for terrorist groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad."

Chavhanke said that the Zakat Foundation India received funds from the Zakat Foundation of America whose Executive Director Khalil Demir had signed US Internal Revenue Service 990 forms for the Benevolence International Foundation, which the US Treasury (US Govt) had found guilty in 2002 of funding Al-Qaeda.

Chavhanke said, “I have no ill will against any community or any individual and do not oppose the selection of any meritorious candidate in the service of the Union or the States but my thrust and endeavour is to expose anti-national activities.”

Among other reasons, Chavhanke expressed that he had raised a political and social issue about whether the benefits granted to OBC minority candidates must be reviewed.

Chavhanke also addressed objections that he had falsely propagated the claim that Muslim candidates were granted age relaxations in the UPSC. He explained that there was a graphic of a 32-year-old General Category candidate compared with a 35-year-old OBC minority candidate and it was to look at Muslim OBCs.

"If a news channel is raising an objection to Muslims taking benefit of OBC quota, the same cannot be communal and in this country, time and again these questions and these debates are in the public domain," Chavhanke said.