The Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the ban on the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), led by Dr Zakir Naik, as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for another five years.
The announcement came on Friday, November 13, 2026. In a post on X, the office of Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah said the move follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of zero tolerance towards terrorism and anti-national activities.
The government’s notification says that if the IRF’s activities were not curbed immediately, the organisation could re-organise absconding activists, create communal disharmony, spread anti-national sentiments and escalate secessionism. These are the government’s allegations. Naik denies the charges.