India books more than 1300 people after ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign
Police across India file mass cases against Muslims displaying ‘I Love Muhammad’ banners, prompting concerns over criminalization of faith
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Indian authorities have launched a wave of criminal cases against Muslims for displaying banners that read “I Love Muhammad,” registering 21 cases and naming 1,324 people nationwide, according to the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR). At least 38 arrests have been made as of September 23.
The controversy began in the northern Indian city of Kanpur earlier this month, during public commemorations of the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (Eid Milad un Nabi). Police there filed an initial case against participants who carried an “I Love Muhammad” banner in a religious procession, treating it as a potential threat to public order.
In response, Muslims across India launched a protest campaign, putting up banners and staging demonstrations to assert that expressing love for the Prophet was an act of devotion, not a provocation. As the campaign spread to other states, police filed additional cases, expanding the crackdown from a local incident into a nationwide dispute.
According to Maktoob Media, APCR’s data shows Uttar Pradesh has been the epicenter, with 16 cases and more than 1,000 accused across districts including Unnao (8 cases, 85 accused, 5 arrested), Baghpat (150 accused, 2 arrested), Kaiserganj (355 accused), Shahjahanpur (200 accused), and Kaushambi (24 accused, 3 arrested).
In Uttarakhand’s Kashipur, police registered one of the largest single cases, involving 401 accused and seven arrests. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat reported cases in Godhra (88 accused, 17 arrests) and Baroda (1 accused, 1 arrest), while Maharashtra recorded one case in Mumbai’s Byculla district with one person arrested.
Rights advocates say the scope of police action highlights systemic bias. “Targeting people for expressing their love and respect for the Prophet is a gross violation of fundamental rights. Peaceful religious expression should never be criminalized,” said Nadeem Khan, APCR’s national secretary. He said that devotion is being redefined as a law-and-order issue, leading to mass targeting of Muslims.
Lawyers argue the cases lack a legal foundation. “There is no legal basis to criminalize a banner or peaceful slogans,” said Mohammad Imran Khan, an APCR lawyer representing individuals charged in Kanpur. He called the mass filings “excessive” and said they raise serious questions about proportionality and bias.
APCR has announced plans to challenge the crackdown in court, either through a writ petition in India’s Supreme Court or via a Public Interest Litigation. Civil rights groups say the judicial outcome could set an important precedent on whether devotional expression in India can be criminalized on the grounds of public order.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
