ZAKIR Naik says he will not return to India while Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remains in power, claiming he risks being unable to leave the country again if he goes back.
“If I go before that, when BJP is still there, I will not be able to come out again,” the India-born preacher told a journalist from Republic Media Network during a meeting in Putrajaya on Oct 13.
The interview, published by the network’s Republic World news platform on Oct 21, was presented as an undercover sting operation.
In the footage, Naik discusses the criminal allegations against him, criticises Modi’s government and predicts the BJP could lose power before the next general election.
Naik, who holds Malaysian permanent resident status, remains wanted by Indian authorities over allegations including money laundering and hate speech.
He has rejected the allegations, insisting they are unsupported by evidence.
“They are just allegations. There is no proof,” he said.
He also claimed he was willing to testify in court through a video link but that Indian authorities wanted him to appear in person.
“If I go in person, I will not be able to come out again. I will just remain inside. They will not give me a fair trial,” he said.
The claims about the treatment he would face if he returned to India were not independently established in the interview.
Predicts BJP defeat
Naik was equally blunt about the BJP’s political future, predicting that mounting public anger could bring down the government before the next general election, scheduled for 2029.
“I don’t think the BJP will survive until the next election. Even if it survives, it will not win, Insha-Allah,” he said, according to Republic World.
He suggested the government could fall as early as next year.
Asked about the prospect of the opposition Congress party returning to power, Naik said it would be preferable to the BJP, although he questioned Rahul Gandhi’s maturity and political experience.
He nevertheless described Gandhi as a better choice than Modi.
“He is better than Modi. He is honest, not corrupt and does not lie,” Naik said.
Naik also criticised India’s economic performance, pointing to unemployment and the weakening rupee as signs of the country’s difficulties.
The conversation touched on protests over allegations of electoral roll manipulation and demands for the resignation of India’s chief election commissioner.
Republic World also linked the discussion to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical political movement associated with youth-led protests against the government.
The published interview does not establish that Naik was involved in organising the demonstrations.
Towards the end of the conversation, he told the journalist he was due to deliver a lecture in Bangladesh.
Republic World described the meeting as a sting operation, although its published footage did not establish whether Naik knew the person interviewing him was a journalist conducting an undercover assignment.
Extradition remains a sensitive issue
Naik’s continued presence in Malaysia has been a longstanding issue in relations between Kuala Lumpur and New Delhi.
He moved to Malaysia amid mounting scrutiny of his activities in India.
His Islamic Research Foundation was declared an unlawful association by Indian authorities in 2016, while Indian agencies subsequently pursued allegations of money laundering and other offences against him.
Malaysia granted Naik permanent resident status in 2015.
In 2018, then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad defended Malaysia’s decision not to extradite him, saying the country had the right to reject India’s request.
The government’s position at the time was that Naik could remain in Malaysia provided he did not cause problems in the country.
The issue resurfaced last month when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim confirmed that he had discussed the matter with Indian representatives during his visit to New Delhi.
In an interview with NDTV, Anwar said the discussions were being kept private to protect both countries’ interests and support efforts to strengthen bilateral relations.
He said any action concerning India’s extradition request would have to be handled cautiously, with due regard for the rule of law and the relationship between the two countries.
Anwar did not announce a decision to extradite Naik, leaving the matter unresolved.
Naik’s latest remarks make clear that he does not intend to return voluntarily while the BJP remains in power. – October 22, 2026