Key Points

Speaking to IANS, Sharma said, "This is not appropriate. No religion teaches violence. The life of Prophet Muhammad itself stands as a testament to patience and compassion. A woman used to throw garbage at him daily, and when she stopped one day, he went to check on her and cared for her during her illness. That’s the example to follow—not violence."

He added, “If the intention behind holding up ‘I Love Muhammad’ pamphlets is love, then why resort to stone pelting? Violence undermines the message. People must not fall for conspiracies or misinformation designed to stir unrest.”

Meanwhile, a planned sit-in protest by Muslim clerics in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, following Friday prayers escalated into violence yesterday, but on Saturday the city saw a more peaceful atmosphere.

In the aftermath of the unrest, civic and security measures have been stepped up to restore normalcy.

The protest was organised in response to alleged derogatory remarks against the Prophet. After Friday prayers, a large crowd gathered, with many people holding posters with the slogan, “I love Mohammed.”

Tensions mounted when protesters reportedly began pelting stones at police. In response, law enforcement officials carried out a lathi charge to disperse the crowd and restore order. According to reports, over 1,000 demonstrators congregated near Islamia Ground, damaging vehicles and attacking police lines. The clash resulted in injuries to at least 10 police personnel and led to the detention of around 50 participants.

The controversy began on September 4 during the Barawafat (Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi) procession in Rawatpur, Kanpur. A group put up an ‘I Love Muhammad’ banner along the procession route. This led to objections from local Hindu groups, who claimed that a “new tradition” was being introduced in a space traditionally used for Barawafat celebrations.

Police intervened promptly. According to DCP Dinesh Tripathi, the government’s rules prohibit introducing new customs into religious processions. While some individuals had removed the traditional tent and placed a new tent along with the banner, police restored the tent and signage to the traditional location. No FIR was filed specifically for the banner, Tripathi clarified.

However, both Hindu and Muslim groups accused each other of tearing posters during the incident, creating confusion despite police mediation.

This sparked protests across multiple states subsequently.

In Bareilly, the cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza had called for the sit-in at Islamia Ground, prompting authorities to stage a flag march before Friday to deter disturbances.

In contrast to Friday’s violence, today’s atmosphere in Bareilly has been largely calm. The municipal corporation has initiated a clean-up drive to clear debris from the streets.

For security reasons, police personnel remain deployed along routes leading to Maulana Tauqeer’s residence, keeping surveillance tight and movement monitored.

The escalation in Bareilly mirrors broader tensions over religious expression in public spaces. In the midst of the turmoil, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi questioned the suppression of free speech, asking, “Why were people being stopped from expressing their love for Prophet Mohammed?” He defended the slogan as “just an expression of free speech.”

Authorities had already braced for potential unrest by placing the district under Section 163, which prohibits protests without official sanction. Despite that, the protest went ahead, turning volatile within hours.

- IANS