Police action politically motivated, and an insult to India’s pluralism, says the organisation’s Vice-President Malik Moatasim Khan
NEW DELHI – The very notion that ‘I Love Prophet Muhammad’ signboards, banners and slogans could provoke communal polarisation is fundamentally flawed and an insult to the country’s ethos of pluralism and respect for all religions, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has said.
The premier Muslim organisation in the country strongly condemned the wave of FIRs and arrests against Muslims across India for displaying banners and slogans expressing love for Prophet Muhammad.
In a statement to the media on Thursday, Vice President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Malik Moatasim Khan, said: For centuries, the people of India have lived together, respecting each other’s religious sentiments. It is unfortunate that political gimmicks and communal policing are creating unnecessary tensions in an otherwise harmonious society.”
He added, “The Prophet Muhammad is a messenger of mercy for all humanity. To criminalise expressions of love for him is not only deeply regrettable but also unconstitutional. It contravenes the rights guaranteed by the Constitution under Article 19(1)(a) (freedom of speech and expression) and Article 25 (freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion).”
The statement said peaceful religious expression is not a threat to communal harmony; it is a fundamental right that strengthens the moral fabric of our nation.
The police action on the issue against Muslims that began in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has now expanded nationwide. At least 21 FIRs have been lodged, with over 1,324 Muslims booked and 38 arrested across multiple states, with Uttar Pradesh remaining the epicentre (16 cases involving over 1,000 accused). Other states including Uttarakhand, Gujarat, and Maharashtra have also reported similar incidents.
The Jamaat official criticised the disproportionate and politically motivated crackdown.
“Instead of acknowledging and correcting the administrative errors made in Kanpur, authorities have deliberately escalated the issue, spreading tension across the country. Targeting individuals for peacefully expressing their devotion to the Prophet is unconstitutional, undermines the rule of law, and erodes public trust in democratic institutions. Such actions expose how non-issues are being manipulated to polarise society.”
He appealed to the Muslim community to respond with wisdom and confidence, using this opportunity to showcase the Prophet’s teachings of compassion, justice, and peace. Simultaneously, he urged the government and police authorities to immediately withdraw all false and excessive FIRs, release those wrongfully arrested, and hold officials accountable for overreach.
“Respect for fundamental rights, religious pluralism, and communal harmony is the cornerstone of India’s unity and integrity. Attempts to criminalise peaceful expressions of devotion threaten these very foundations,” Khan asserted.
