How ‘I Love Mohammad’ Campaign Turned into Widespread Protests in India
A grassroots campaign titled “I Love Mohammad,” initially launched in response to what was perceived as repressive police action against Muslims expressing their devotion to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure family), quickly escalated into a nationwide movement that spurred widespread protests across Indian cities and dominated social media.
According to Al Jazeera Mubasher, the movement began in the city of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, after police tore down a poster bearing the slogan and arrested several Muslims. Authorities claimed the posters were “disturbing social harmony” and filed cases against over 20 people.
The police action served as a catalyst, swiftly transforming the local protest into a national cause. Thousands of users across Indian social media platforms changed their profile pictures to display the “I LOVE MOHAMMAD” slogan, causing the hashtag to trend for hours.
Political and religious figures strongly condemned the police intervention. Asaduddin Owaisi, chief of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party, called the action a direct attack on the religious sentiments of Muslims.
The protests rapidly spread to major cities including Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Agra, Burhanpur, and Lucknow. Following Friday prayers in several cities, demonstrations were held featuring placards expressing support for the Prophet.
Muslim leaders and civil activists argue that the police’s response is an example of the criminalization of religious expression and is part of a broader crackdown against India’s Muslim minority. Salman Azhari, a Muslim leader, told Al Jazeera that the police’s actions amounted to the criminalization of religious acts. Sumaiya Rana, a Muslim civil activist, stated during a women’s demonstration in Lucknow, “Protesting against this slogan shows clear bias against Muslims.”
While police maintained that the charges were related to the unauthorized installation of promotional gates, Muslim activists believe the harsh enforcement is political and indicative of a wider suppression policy.
