In a speech given to MNS office-bearers, he mentioned Islamic televangelist Zakir Naik, who absconded from India, and supported Nupur Sharma.
“Nupur Sharma spoke. They suspended her. Apologized to everyone. I took her side. She was not speaking her mind. She was (talking) about what was happening. Zakir Naik, a Muslim preacher and founder of Islamic Research Foundation who absconded from India. Who is that Naik of yours? Watch his interviews. Zakir Naik is a Muslim. In an interview, he has said the same thing that Nupur Sharma was saying,” Raj said.
“Nobody said anything about Zakir Naik. No one told him to apologize. You have stopped talking about it,” he added.
“Till date, no other party has carried out as many agitations as we have done. Removal of loudspeakers from mosques. For how many years was this going on? But we gave an alternative to these fools. Either remove the loudspeakers, or we will come there and chant Hanuman Chalisa. Everyone started removing loudspeakers. Now many in the Muslim community are saying that it sounds good to the ears. There have been many protests. You have to tell people this all the time. What do you hold back?” Raj said.
Sharma’s remark against the Prophet, made during the course of a TV debate, triggered massive protests across the country and invited sharp reactions from many countries. The BJP had suspended her from the party.