‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign sparks protests and police crackdown in India
Protests in northern India turned violent on Friday after police used batons and tear gas against Muslim demonstrators
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Protests in northern India turned violent on Friday after police used batons and tear gas against Muslim demonstrators demanding the withdrawal of cases linked to the “I Love Muhammad” campaign, a movement launched earlier this month as an expression of devotion to the Prophet Muhammad.
The confrontation broke out in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, where thousands of people gathered near Islamia Ground following Friday prayers in response to a cleric’s call.
Eyewitnesses said the rally began peacefully, with community leaders seeking to submit a memorandum over police actions in the nearby city of Kanpur. Tensions rose after some demonstrators allegedly raised slogans and pelted stones, leading police to respond with a baton-charge and tear gas.
The controversy traces back to September 4, when police removed a tent carrying an illuminated “I Love Muhammad” poster during an Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi procession in Kanpur.
Hindu nationalist groups objected to the display, claiming it was intentionally placed in a mixed neighborhood where Hindu festivals are celebrated. Police later filed cases against 24 Muslims, accusing them of disturbing communal harmony.
Muslim residents insist they are being unfairly targeted for an act of devotion, while Hindu organizations accuse them of provocation. The dispute quickly spread on social media under the hashtag #ILoveMuhammad, fueling nationwide debate. Muslim leaders allege police bias, saying their posters were taken down while Hindu groups were allowed to stage counter-campaigns.
The campaign has since extended beyond Kanpur.
In Mumbai’s Malvani neighborhood, clerics and community leaders held meetings with police this week to express concern over what they described as discriminatory treatment.
Prominent opposition leader Asaduddin Owaisi, head of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), also criticized the crackdown. “If someone says ‘I love you,’ what is the problem with writing ‘love’?” he asked, warning that suppressing such expressions sends troubling signals to Muslim-majority countries abroad.
Meanwhile, Hindu nationalist groups have organized their own responses.
In Varanasi, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Narendrananda led rallies under the banner “I Love Mahadev,” framing the Muslim campaign as a conspiracy to “destroy the country under the guise of devotion.”
Observers note that such counter-slogans are part of a broader Hindutva strategy of portraying Muslim expressions of faith as threats to national unity. Analysts warn that the latest escalation highlights how minor religious disputes are increasingly weaponized in India’s polarized political climate.
Rights groups say state actions — particularly police crackdowns on demonstrators — risk deepening mistrust and eroding India’s pluralist traditions.
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