Digvijaya Singh questions double standards on ties with Zakir Naik

Hyderabad, July 8 (ANI): Facing flak from BJP for sharing the stage with Islamic preacher Zakir Naik who is in the midst of a controversy for his 'hate speech' reportedly inspiring one of the five militants involved in the recent terror attack in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday questioned the double standards in application. He said that if prominent personalities like Sri Sri Ravishankar shares stage with Naik they are declared to be nationalist and if he does it is declared anti-national. "Is Zakir Naik a terrorist, is there a case against him, is he a criminal. When Sri Sri Ravi Shankar shares a stage with him that is Nationalism, if Shri Rajnath Singh goes and Visits Pragya Thakur, an accused of Malegaon bomb blast that is nationalism, and if I share the stage I am anti national. What kind of double standard is this," Singh told ANI. Upon being asked the relationship he shares with Zakir Naik, Singh told that the relationship with Zakir Naik is same as the relationship Sri Sri Ravi Shankar shares with Naik. "My relationship with Zakir Naik is same of what Sri Sri Ravishankar has got with Zakir Naik," he said. In 2012, a video emerged showing Digvijaya Singh sharing stage with Islamic preacher Zakir Naik at an event. The video shows Digvijay Singh saying that people like Zakir Naik can bridge the gap between Hindus and Muslims. Zakir Naik is reportedly in Saudi Arabia for a religious pilgrimage and would return to India on July 11. Naik, a popular but controversial Islamic orator and founder of the Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation, is banned in UK and Canada for his hate speeches. He is among 16 banned Islamic scholars in Malaysia.(ANI)