Digvijaya questions Modi-Shah on Zakir Naik’s claims

Bhopal/Indore, Jan 15 (IANS) Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had sought to strike a deal with controversial preacher Zakir Naik.

Citing the claims made by Naik in a video, in which he levelled serious charges against the BJP-led Central government, Digvijaya Singh said in a series of tweets that if Modi and Shah didn’t not refute Naik’s claims, it would mean he is ‘correct’.

“The revelations by Zakir Naik are shocking. He rejected Modi’s offer. Do watch Zakir Naik whom Modi and Shah have placed in the category of traitors, and are now brokering a deal. What is the strategy,” he asked.

“Who disagrees with them 1) convince them, 2) if they don’t get convinced, threaten them, 3) if he disagrees, offer money and post, 4) if he doesn’t agree, defame by levelling false charges, 5) if he agrees, all charges are withdrawn otherwise defame him by making false accusations, 6) if a situation arises where you can use him for your convenience. This is what Zakir Naik has said,” Digvijaya Singh tweeted in Hindi.

In another tweet, Digvijaya said, “Congress never officially supported Zakir Naik. It is true I had addressed a Communal Harmony conference in Mumbai from his platform but you can go through his speech in that conference, at no point he made any communally sensitive statement,” he said.

Zaik Naik fled to Malaysia in 2016. He claimed the Modi government tried to broker a deal with him over Article 370.

Naik said he was asked to welcome the government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Naik said that in September, a messenger of the Modi government promised to drop money-laundering charges against him and provide him a safe passage to India. He refused the deal.

“My question is why Prime Minister and Home Minister have not refuted Naik’s charges yet,” Digvijaya Singh asked.

On Wednesday, Indore also witnessed a jovial Digvijaya Singh embracing arch adversary Kailash Vijayavargia at an event organised to mark Makar Sankranti. The two leaders warmly received each other. Vijayvargiya greeted Digvijay Singh wearing a Malvi turban which Digvijay agreed to wear after initial hesitation.

Vijayvargiya shared a video of this on his Twitter handle and wrote that he coincidentally met Digvijaya Singh in Indore. “It was nice to remember old days and share for fun with him,” he said.

The two are poles apart politically and ideologically and keep targeting each other frequently. Digvijaya Singh is also known to be Vijayavargia’s political guru.