The “I Love Muhammad” campaign erupted in India earlier this month as a simple expression of devotion to Prophet Muhammad during Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi celebrations.
What began as illuminated banners and posters in mixed neighborhoods quickly spiraled into a nationwide flashpoint, igniting accusations of communal provocation, police crackdowns, and retaliatory Hindu campaigns like “I Love Mahadev” and “I Love Mahakal.” At its core, the row pits questions of religious freedom against claims of disrupting “traditional” practices in shared spaces, leading to stone-pelting, lathi charges, FIRs against over 1,300 people, and arrests across Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Gujarat, and beyond. Critics from the Muslim community argue it’s a criminalization of faith, while Hindu groups see it as an aggressive imposition. Political voices, from AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi to J&K CM Omar Abdullah, have decried it as discriminatory, amplifying fears of social boycott and escalating polarization just months before key state elections.
Origins: A Light Board in Kanpur Sparks the Fire
The controversy traces back to September 4, 2025, in Rawatpur village, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh—a mixed Hindu-Muslim locality where festivals like Ram Navami and Eid have coexisted for years. During a Barawafat (Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi) procession commemorating Prophet Muhammad’s birth, organizers installed a lit board reading “I Love Muhammad” along the route, near a tent in front of Jafar Wali Gali in Mohalla Saiyad Nagar. Local Hindu residents objected, viewing it as a “new tradition” that disrupted the area’s balance, especially since Hindu processions had adhered to established routes without such displays.
Tensions boiled over when Hindu groups alleged that Muslim youths tore down their Ganesh Chaturthi posters in retaliation, while Muslim organizers claimed they were targeted for a harmless expression of love. Police swiftly intervened, removing the board to restore peace, but not before protests erupted. An FIR was lodged under sections promoting enmity between groups, accusing the display of deliberate provocation. The incident, reported widely, set the template for the campaign’s spread: innocent devotion clashing with local sensitivities.
By mid-September, the phrase “I Love Muhammad” had proliferated on social media and in physical banners, defended by leaders like Owaisi as a fundamental tenet of Islamic faith—loving the Prophet more than anything else. As Owaisi put it in a September 26 statement from Purnea, Bihar: “A Muslim’s faith is incomplete until he loves Prophet Muhammad more than everything else in the world.” Yet, in Uttar Pradesh’s BJP-ruled heartland, it was framed as a violation of the state’s emphasis on “traditional practices” during religious events.
Spread Across States: From Banners to Street Clashes
What started in Kanpur snowballed into a multi-state phenomenon. By September 15, similar posters appeared in Uttarakhand’s Kashipur, where a spontaneous procession of 400-500 people shouting “I Love Mohammad” led to vandalism of police vehicles and attacks on officers. Seven, including main accused Nadeem Akhtar, were arrested for unauthorized assembly and rioting.
In Telangana and Maharashtra, the campaign gained traction online, with Muslim youth groups sharing images of banners during Milad-un-Nabi events. But physical displays triggered backlash: On September 24, communal tensions flared in Karnataka’s Davangere after “I Love Muhammad” posters were spotted, leading to stone-pelting and police detentions. Gujarat saw parallel incidents the same day, with 60 people detained amid reports of social media-fueled unrest.
The flashpoint peaked on September 26 in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. After Friday prayers, hundreds gathered at Islamia Ground and Khalil School Chowk, carrying placards and chanting “I Love Muhammad” alongside “Nara-e-Taqbeer.” Led by Ittehad-e-Millat Council chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, the crowd—estimated at thousands—marched toward the Collectorate, defying police dispersal orders. Chaos ensued: Stones pelted at officers, two motorcycles vandalized, a shop targeted, and a stampede-like scene as police resorted to lathi charges and tear gas.
Bareilly DIG Ajay Sahni confirmed to reporters: “A case has been registered, and legal proceedings are being ensured.” A flag march followed, with 4,700 personnel, drones, and CCTV deployed. Scattered slippers, shoes, and stones marked a 200-meter radius around Khalil Tiraha. By evening, the situation stabilized under heavy deployment, but not without injuries and widespread outrage.
Nationwide, police actions have been swift and sweeping: Over 1,300 FIRs filed against Muslims for displaying banners, prompting human rights concerns over the “criminalization of faith.” In Saharanpur, a youth waving a poster post-Jumu’ah prayers was immediately detained, as captured in viral videos.
Hindu Reply: Counter-Campaigns of Devotion and Defiance
In response, Hindu groups launched parallel expressions of faith, framing them as celebrations of Sanatan Dharma rather than direct retaliation. The most prominent is the “I Love Mahadev” drive, which exploded on social media and streets, promoting devotion to Lord Shiva (Mahadev). Posters surfaced in Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath area on September 24, with religious leaders urging Hindus to “reclaim” public spaces.
In Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh’s capital, the Jagrit Hindu Manch kicked off “I Love Mahakal” on September 26—Mahakal being a form of Shiva revered at Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple. Posters appeared near Chameli Baba’s tomb, with BJP spokesperson Durgesh Keswani clarifying: “This is not against the ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign… It’s simply an expression of our love for Lord Mahadev. Every religion is free to express its devotion. But Sanatan Dharma is the oldest religion. Our culture is different.” A saint involved echoed: “Just as Muslims are expressing love for Prophet Muhammad, we too are free to express devotion to our deities.”
Similar drives emerged for Lord Ram, Hanuman, and Ganesh. In Mumbai’s garba pandals during Navratri preparations, women carried “I Love Mahadev” posters, blending festival fervor with counter-narrative. Nitesh Rane, a Maharashtra BJP leader, amplified it with a tweet that stirred further buzz, leading to debates on selective outrage.
On X (formerly Twitter), #ILoveMahadev trended with over 30,000 posts in 24 hours, including endorsements from Panchjanya magazine: “Comment below to support this campaign.” Users like @epanchjanya garnered 31,500 likes, while satirical accounts like @TigerRajaSinggh mocked the opposition with videos of youth joining “Durga Vahini” for Hindu protection. However, not all were celebratory—posts questioned biases, like @Understand_me asking: “How many people displaying ‘I Love Mahadev’ have been taken in?”
These counters, while peaceful, have fueled Owaisi’s charge of “socially boycotting Muslims,” highlighting a tit-for-tat dynamic that risks deepening divides.