Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, September 27— Police on Saturday detained Tauqeer Raza Khan, a local cleric and head of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council, after his call for a protest in support of the ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign led to clashes with law enforcement following Friday prayers, officials said.
The controversy has its roots in September 9, when police in Kanpur filed an FIR against 24 people for allegedly installing boards stating ‘I Love Muhammad’ during an Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi procession on September 4. Some Hindu groups criticized the boards as a “deviation from tradition” and a “deliberate provocation.”
“Tauqeer Raza has been taken into custody, and further legal proceedings are underway. The situation is peaceful and under control,” Bareilly SSP Anurag Arya told reporters.
The unrest on Friday erupted outside a mosque in the Kotwali area, where a large crowd carrying posters clashed with police. Stone-pelting and acts of vandalism were reported, and over two dozen people were detained. The demonstrators were reportedly angered after authorities denied permission for a proposed march called by Raza at the last minute.
In a video statement released on Friday night, Raza challenged the official account, claiming he was placed under house arrest and prevented from addressing his followers. “I compliment all those youths who took part in this programme. Those who were injured are also worthy of congratulations,” he said, referring to participants hurt in the clashes.
Raza said he had intended to submit a memorandum to the President of India through District Magistrate Avinash Singh, highlighting what he described as “continuous attacks on Muslims,” but his efforts were deliberately thwarted. “I appeal to everyone to peacefully go to their homes. As has happened every time, I was placed under house arrest,” he noted.
He also alleged the circulation of false information under his name. “A fake letterhead carrying my name was used, and a false statement was published,” Raza said. He claimed that when the DM and SSP arrived at his location just before Friday prayers, he was stopped and placed under house arrest.
Warning that suppression of religious sentiment would be counterproductive, Raza said, “The more police try to suppress this issue, the more it will come to the fore. If attempts are made to stop religious matters, no one will remain silent.” He added, “Had I gone for the Friday prayers, nothing like this would have happened. Lathis were deliberately used on Muslims, against whom false accusations have been levelled.”
He further stated, “I am currently under house arrest. I would be happy if I were arrested. Just like [gangster] Atiq Ahmad was shot, shoot me as well. The government is responsible for 140 crore people. Intolerance towards one group is unacceptable.” Khan emphasized that there was no Hindu-Muslim conflict in the latest incident, accusing police of committing atrocities against Muslims.
Authorities, however, described the violence differently. District Magistrate Avinash Singh and DIG Ajay Kumar Sahni said the unrest was part of a planned attempt to disturb peace despite the imposition of Section 163 of the BNSS, which prohibits unauthorized assemblies.
“A few days ago, an organisation proposed holding a march on Friday and submitting a memorandum in support of a protest. We informed them that written permission would be needed for any such programme, as Section 163 of the BNSS (power to issue orders in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) is in effect throughout the district,” Singh said. “Despite this, some people took to the streets after the Friday prayers and tried to disrupt peace.”
The issue quickly spread beyond Kanpur to other districts in Uttar Pradesh and even to Uttarakhand and Karnataka, prompting protests and police interventions. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi weighed in, asserting that expressing love for the Prophet Muhammad is not a crime.
