Man detained in UP for holding ‘I love Muhammad’ posters in Saharanpur

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday detained a man outside a mosque in Saharanpur for displaying posters that said ‘I love Muhammad’ amid increasing police action against the campaign, Scroll reported.

It is reported citing Senior Superintendent of Police Ashish Tiwari that the man, who was immediately taken into custody, held two posters during the Friday prayers.

Alongside quizzing him, police are reportedly screening his social media activities.

Confirming the arrest, Tiwari said that foot patrols were underway in view of the Friday prayers for he said ‘to convey a message of safety to the general public,’ adding that ‘Coordination was established with all religious leaders and discussions were held.’

The officer added that around 1,500 police personnel were deployed at ‘sensitive locations’ as well as crowded places in Saharanpur.

It is reported citing a civil rights collective , the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, that at least 1,324 Muslims were booked in as many as 21 cases alongside arresting 38 people across the country after banners saying ‘ I love Muhammad’ began appearing in religious processions.

In another incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly on Friday, police used tear gas and lathi-charge against protests organised by Maulana Tauqeer demanding the cancellation of FIRs over ‘ I love Muhammad’ campaign.

The protesters gathered after Friday prayers to submit a memorandum demanding authorities to reconsider the FIRs filed in connection with the campaign banners in Kanpur when the situation turned sour.

What began as a peaceful protest turned violent after some started pelting stones which led the police to use force with Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) police personnel rushing to the scene.

It all began when a group of Muslim held a banner that said ‘ I love Muhammad’ on September 4 during an Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi procession in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur.

A controversy erupted after Hindu groups came out questioning the banner opposing introduction of a ‘ new tradition’ in the procession.

India Today on Monday quoted Kanpur Deputy Commissioner of Police Dinesh Tripathi as saying that the government rules were against introducing new customs into religious processions.

Following which police filed cases against 24 persons on September 9 and identified 15 of them for what they said introducing new custom and disturbing communal harmony.

India Today reported citing the police that cases were filed not for putting up posters but placing them at a new location alongside allegedly tearing up another group’s posters.

The police action triggered more protests and procession holding ‘ I love Muhammad’ banners in several districts in Uttar Pradesh with some of them taking place in other states as well.

In one case filed in Uttarakhand’s Kashipur, police named 401 accused persons, and arrested seven.