Despite heavy-handed police action at several places in UP, the movement has spread nationwide with Muslims declaring their right to express love for the Prophet
LUCKNOW – The unnecessary controversy over the seemingly innocuous ‘I Love Muhammad’ posters that began in Kanpur has now engulfed Bareilly and Farrukhabad, triggering protests and police action across Uttar Pradesh and beyond.
After violence broke out in Bareilly when Muslims carried posters reading ‘I Love Muhammad’, the police resorted to a lathi-charge, injuring several demonstrators. In Farrukhabad, posters were later put up in Kamalganj’s Rajepur Sarayameda, Gandhinagar Bhatpura, and Nusritpur, only to be swiftly removed by the administration once local media reported on the incident.
Muslim residents said the police action amounted to discrimination. “Why is it a crime to say ‘I Love Muhammad’? We are only expressing love for our Prophet, not attacking anyone,” asked Mohammad Salman, a local shopkeeper in Farrukhabad.
The movement, which began in Kanpur during the Eid Milad-un Nabi procession when the first posters appeared, has gained momentum despite repeated police crackdowns. The authorities not only removed the posters but also filed FIRs against several Muslim youths, sparking anger across the community.
Since then, millions of Muslims in different states have carried banners with the words ‘I Love Muhammad’, openly challenging attempts to silence their expression of faith.
A community elder in Bareilly, Haji Nadeem, told reporters: “They beat our children with lathis just for holding posters that say ‘I Love Muhammad’. Is loving our Prophet now against the law?”
The controversy deepened after Maulana Tauqeer Raza, a prominent cleric, was transferred to Fatehgarh Central Jail following the Bareilly incident. The police also launched an investigation into the wall-mounted posters, increasing security in affected areas.
Muslim leaders argue the campaign has been unfairly targeted. “In every city, the police remove our posters and file cases against us. But when hate slogans against Muslims are raised, no action is taken. This exposes the double standards of the administration,” said Advocate Shariq Anwar, a rights activist from Lucknow.
The ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign has not remained limited to Uttar Pradesh. In Gujarat’s Gandhinagar, clashes broke out as both sides hurled stones during protests. Several Muslims were arrested and, in some places, publicly paraded by police—an act described by community members as an attempt to humiliate them.
Observers say the campaign reflects both the deep love Muslims hold for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and their frustration with the repeated curbs on their religious expression.
A young protester in Farrukhabad put it simply: “We will continue to say ‘I Love Muhammad’ no matter how many times they remove our posters. This is our faith, and no one can erase it.”