Nationwide crackdown on ‘I Love Muhammad’ banners: 21 FIRs, over 1,300 Muslims booked, says APCR
New Delhi: What began as a local case in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has grown into a nationwide crackdown on banners reading “I Love Muhammad.” According to the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), police across states have registered 21 FIRs and named 1,324 Muslims, with 38 arrests made so far.
The first case emerged during a Barawafat procession in Kanpur. Similar campaigns soon spread to other states, triggering fresh cases. Uttar Pradesh remains the focal point, with 16 FIRs and over 1,000 accused in districts such as Unnao, Baghpat, Kaiserganj, Shahjahanpur, and Kaushambi.
Beyond UP, Uttarakhand’s Kashipur recorded one of the largest single FIRs, booking 401 people and arresting seven. Gujarat reported cases in Godhra (88 accused, 17 arrests) and Baroda (1 accused, 1 arrest), while Maharashtra’s Byculla registered one case involving a single arrest. APCR noted that these figures are accurate as of September 23.
Civil rights groups allege the police response is disproportionate and discriminatory. “Targeting people for expressing devotion to the Prophet is a violation of fundamental rights. Peaceful religious expression should not be treated as a crime,” said Nadeem Khan, APCR’s national secretary.
Lawyers representing the accused have also raised concerns about legality. “There is no legal basis to book people over banners or peaceful slogans. Such large-scale FIRs under the guise of law and order are excessive and biased,” said Mohammad Imran Khan, an APCR lawyer involved in the Kanpur case.
APCR has indicated that it will move the courts, either through a writ petition in the Supreme Court or by filing a Public Interest Litigation, to seek judicial scrutiny of the crackdown.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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