Frenzied crowds of Islamists have unleashed terror throughout the nation regarding the row over “I love Muhammad” banner. Violence has broken out during protests in multiple states, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Gujarat. The controversy originated from a First Information Report (FIR) lodged in Kanpur.
Police were attacked and stones were thrown at them in various cities amid loud slogans of “Sar tan se juda” during the marches. A cleric even a issued death threat to an inspector involved in a similar incident in Bareilly. The authorities and the Muslim community engaged in a confrontation regarding the removal of posters that read “I love Muhammad”. Enraged Dr Nafees Khan, National General Secretary of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC), appeared at the location and explicitly threatened the inspector with murder.
A video featuring him circulated widely on social media where he declared, “I will cut off your hands and strip you of your uniform,” to intimidate the official.
How did the controversy erupt in Bareilly
The entire issue commenced on 19th September when posters proclaiming “I love Mohammad” were displayed in various locations throughout the city following Friday prayers. They were erected under the guidance of Moin Khan, an official from “Jamaat Raza-e-Mustafa”, an organization linked to the Dargah Aala Hazrat.
The police removed the posters from the Qila area during the night of 20th September, considering it as a law and order concern. The same posters were reinstalled the following day. When the cops arrived to take action on 21st September, a large number of members from the Muslim community gathered at the scene.
An attempt was made to surround the police and pressure them. They also summoned IMC leader Dr Nafees Khan, who misbehaved with the police team and openly threatened Inspector Subhash Kumar. The video of this incident soon went viral on social media, prompting the administration to take action.
Superintendent of Police (SP) City Manush Pareekh confirmed that a case has been filed against Khan. He emphasized that any efforts to disturb law and order will not be tolerated, and severe measures will be enforced against those responsible.
Extremists attack authorities in Kashipur
Unexpectedly, incidents of stone pelting, violence, and vandalism surfaced during the “I love Mohammad” procession in Kashipur, located in the Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand. Police personnel were chased, assaulted, and verbally abused while government vehicles suffered damage.
Authorities initiated legal proceedings against three identified individuals and approximately 400 to 500 unnamed persons related to this incident. Fifteen individuals have been incarcerated. Furthermore, the administration has demolished and cleared illegal structures from the area where the unrest took place.
Violent scenes unfold in Unnao
A group of radicals caused severe disturbance in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao on 21st September. Hundreds of Muslims initiated a procession without obtaining the necessary permissions and chanted “Sar tan se juda.” They also attacked police personnel. The uniform of Inspector Ajay Kumar Singh, who is in charge of the Gangaghat police station, was ripped. The mob hurled stones when the cops tried to placate them.
The police had to resort to lathi-charge and additional cops were deployed to control the escalating situation. As a result of this occurrence, the Unnao police have filed an FIR against 30 individuals, including eight named suspects. Muslim youths had organized a procession after offering prayers at the Safdarganj Mosque.
Police station vandalized in Godhra
On 19th September, violence broke out in Godhra of Gujarat, amid a protest by Islamists over the “I love Muhammad” controversy. An influencer known for sharing provocative content on social media was called to the Godhra City B Division police station of the Panchmahal district, triggering a throng of rioters to create chaos in an attempt to release him.
The uproar persisted well into the night, resulting in the vandalization of the police station, damage to furniture, windows and police vehicles. The crowd also started throwing stones, wounding many police personnel. The latter employed lathi-charge in response and even discharged tear gas shells to regain control over the unruly assembly.
Muslim leaders add fuel to the raging fire
Many notable Muslim figures, such as All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) supremo and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi, along with IMC president Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, have made public statements regarding the matter. Owaisi took to social media and wrote that “I love Muhammad” does not constitute a crime. He added, “However, if it is so, then every punishment is acceptable.”
“I would sacrifice a hundred lives for you. May the wish of my heart be fulfilled. Why wouldn’t I devote my life from the depths of my heart? Your desires reside in it,” he declared while responding to a post peddling half-truths about the controversy.
I LOVE MOHAMMAD ﷺ @adgzonekanpur ये जुर्म नहीं है। अगर है तो इसकी हर सज़ा मंज़ूर है।
तुम पर मैं लाख जान से क़ुर्बान या-रसूल
बर आएँ मेरे दिल के भी अरमान या-रसूलक्यों दिल से मैं फ़िदा न करूँ जान या-रसूल
रहते हैं इस में आप के अरमान या-रसूल https://t.co/8kKWY22zHC— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) September 15, 2025
Tauqeer Raza provoked Muslims to agitate over the incident. He remarked that expressing “I love Muhammad” has been criminalized. “What will transpire in the nation if Muslims take to the streets? Do not compel us to do so,” he warned menacingly.
Muslims have been wreaking havoc nationwide and the matter has only escalated in the wake of such remarks. Rallies are being organized in multiple cities alongside violent protests. Participants have been misled that a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged in Kanpur for exhibiting an “I love Muhammad” banner. However, the actual situation is quite distinct from what is being illustrated.
“Lies” being spread about the FIR in Kanpur
A dispute arose in Kanpur concerning the exhibition of a banner stating “I love Muhammad.” However, the complete truth extends beyond this. On 4th September, a light board featuring the phrase “I love Muhammad” was set up for decorative purposes in the vicinity of the Rawatpur police station. The board was relocated a short distance away following objections from locals.
On 5th September, young Muslim men damaged a poster associated with the Hindu religion, during the Barawafat procession. “During the procession, certain unidentified Muslim youths who were in a vehicle participating in the event, intentionally used sticks to destroy the religious posters belonging to the Hindu community that had been placed along the road in the Hindu locality of the Rawatpur village with the aim to create communal disturbance,” the FIR read.
The FIR in Kanpur is not exclusively concerned with the “I love Muhammad” banner. It represents merely a fragment of the broader controversy, while the core issue revolves around Muslim youths dismantling Hindu religious posters. However, the community is being incited in the name of banner removal, sparking violence and unrest in the entire country.