Tensions in Bareilly as “I Love Muhammad” Protest Leads to Clashes, Arrest of Cleric, and Heavy Police Deployment
A number of demonstrators gathered in favor of the "I Love Muhammad" campaign outside a mosque in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday. This sparked a confrontation between police and people.
Aadrika Tayal 
New Delhi (India) September 26: Tensions erupted in Bareilly on Friday as a result of the protest over the "I Love Muhammad" slogan. A sizable crowd gathered at Islamia Ground after Friday prayers and demanded a protest. The gathering refused to leave despite police efforts to prevent entry.
Maulana Tauqeer Raza is the head of the Ittehad-e-Millar Council and a local cleric. He had called the campaign meeting. Crowds gathered outside the cleric's home in the Kotwali area and close to the Ala Hazrat Dargah. They were carrying signs that read, "I Love Muhammad.”
Police Detain Cleric Tauqeer Raza Amid Rising Tensions
Maulana Tauqeer Raza was taken into custody by police. Raza is also facing charges related to the 2010 Bareilly riots. They are still pending in court. After his arrest, police patrolled important areas. They sent in forces from neighboring districts to stop rioting.
Locals were seen fighting with the cops in local footage. Security officers lathi-charged the crowd. This is to drive the demonstrators away as they threw stones during the protest.
IG Ajay Sahni informed news agency ANI that as the security force was conducting a flag march in the region, some "miscreants" broke out into the streets.
Security Forces Respond with Flag March
Sahni stated that the police's strict rules will set an example to ensure that similar incidents never happen again.
Bareilly IG Sahni said, "We are on the streets in Bareilly, and the situation is completely normal. Namaz was performed safely. Some people were shouting slogans on the streets; the police have sent them back. Photographs and videos of the rioters have been taken. Further action will be taken.”
District Magistrate Avinash Singh also says that the "situation is now normal and under control". He adds, "No untoward incident has been reported. We are appealing to people to maintain peace and harmony.”
The authorities have asked citizens to stay inside. Raza had threatened that if the injustice persisted, Muslims might be forced to take to the streets. He says that if nothing is done, the situation can get out of control.
Political Leaders React, Call for Peace and Harmony
Asaduddin Owaisi is the president of AIMIM. He claims that declaring "I Love Muhammad" is not illegal. He questions why such religious declarations are viewed as offensive.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav posts, 'A government's display of strength is a sign of its weakness. Governments are run by harmony and goodwill, not lathicharge” on social media platform X.
UP Congress President Ajay Rai says, "Everyone should love their God. I love Mohammad. I love Mahadev. I love Ganesha. I love Jesus Christ. I love Guru Nanak. I love Gautam Buddha. I love Mahavira” after the incident.
Row Traced Back to Kanpur Complaint Over Slogans
The 'I Love Muhammed' dispute began on September 9. It was when the Kanpur police filed a formal complaint against nine known and fifteen unnamed individuals. This was for allegedly putting up signs with the phrase "I Love Muhammad" on a public road during a September 4 Barawafat parade. A number of Hindu organizations criticized the action as a "new trend". They claimed it was a purposeful provocation.
