Violent, unrest erupts in UP
New Delhi, Sep 29: Violence and unrest have erupted across several districts of Uttar Pradesh following the “I Love Mohammad” campaign, with police crackdowns, arrests, and internet suspensions being enforced in multiple locations, Times of India reported.
The controversy began in Kanpur on September 9, when police registered cases against nine people for installing posters and lightboards with the slogan. The campaign soon spread to districts including Bareilly, Barabanki, Bhadohi, Pilibhit, Kaushambi, Lucknow, and Unnao, sparking protests and clashes.
In Barabanki’s Faizullaganj locality, tensions escalated after a village watchman, Dhaniram, tore down one such banner. Around 150 locals allegedly attacked him, vandalised his house, and looted valuables. Police intervened with heavy force, arresting eight individuals and filing FIRs citing rioting, stone-pelting, and promoting enmity. Bareilly witnessed the most serious violence, with over 1,000 protesters clashing with police near Islamia Ground after Friday prayers on September 26. According to TOI, stone pelting and firing in the air left at least ten policemen injured, forcing security forces to fire tear gas and resort to lathi charge, which triggered a stampede.
Police arrested 39 people, including cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, who had called for a protest march. In total, 50 people have been detained, while ten FIRs have been filed against more than 180 named and 2,500 unidentified rioters. Internet services were suspended for 48 hours, and flag marches and house-to-house searches were conducted in sensitive areas. Authorities have imposed restrictions on unauthorized gatherings under Section 163 and stepped up security ahead of Dussehra.
CM YOGI’S STERN WARNING
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued a warning against those disturbing communal harmony.
“If anyone attempts to create mischief during the joy and enthusiasm of festivals, they will have to pay such a price for this mischief that future generations will remember what price has to be paid,” Adityanath said as reported by TOI.
Rejecting “Ghazwa-e-Hind” rhetoric, he declared: “Even imagining ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’ or dreaming of it will create a path for a ticket to hell. Whoever pelts stones during festivals, whoever compromises the safety of a daughter, we will give them a one-way ticket to hell.”
The unrest spread beyond Bareilly. In Muradnagar and Modinagar, posters triggered objections from Bajrang Dal and other Hindu groups, prompting police to remove banners and detain suspects.
In Sitapur, protests broke out after allegations that a local school forced Hindu students to write “I Love Mohammad” slogans. Police arrested the school manager and a teacher. Similar disturbances were reported in Mau, Varanasi, and Moradabad, while states including Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Karnataka, Bihar, and Maharashtra also saw sporadic flare-ups. In Beed, Maharashtra, police registered a case against a cleric for inflammatory speeches. In Karnataka, stone pelting was reported in Bengaluru’s Karl Marx Nagar after police removed a flex banner carrying the slogan. Two FIRs were registered, and police said normalcy had been restored ahead of Dasara celebrations, reports TOI. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi questioned the hostility toward the campaign, saying India’s Muslim community should not face backlash for expressing love for Prophet Mohammad. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera also condemned the violent reactions, calling the right to express reverence for religious figures an integral part of India’s cultural traditions. With the row showing no signs of abating, officials across affected districts continue to monitor the situation closely, even as chief minister Adityanath reiterated his government’s “zero tolerance” for communal unrest.
