Indian Police Crack Down on ‘I Love Muhammad’ Slogan
New Delhi, India — In a sweeping crackdown across several Indian states, police have charged more than 2,500 Muslims for publicly displaying or posting the phrase “I Love Muhammad.” Authorities claim the expression threatens public order, but human-rights groups say the prosecutions reveal the deepening marginalisation of India’s Muslim minority under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government.
The phrase — meant as a devotional tribute to Prophet Muhammad — has appeared on posters, T-shirts and social media since early September. Yet the simple message has triggered police raids, demolitions of Muslim homes, and violent clashes in multiple Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states, including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Telangana.
According to the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), at least 40 people have been arrested, many for social-media posts or participation in peaceful marches.
How the Controversy Began
The controversy started on September 4 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, when Muslims celebrating Eid al-Milad al-Nabi, the Prophet’s birthday, displayed an illuminated board reading “I Love Muhammad.” Modeled on the popular “I Love New York” logo, the sign quickly drew complaints from some local Hindu residents.
What began as a dispute over festival decorations escalated when police filed criminal charges for “promoting religious enmity,” an offence that carries up to five years in prison.
The arrests sparked nationwide protests, with demonstrators in cities such as Bareilly, Thane, and Hyderabad carrying banners and chanting the same phrase. In Bareilly, police clashed with protesters on September 26, arresting 75 people, including prominent cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan. Soon after, authorities bulldozed at least four homes linked to the accused — a practice rights groups call “bulldozer justice.”
Bulldozers as Punishment
Since 2022, Indian authorities have used demolitions to target alleged offenders, often without legal notice or court orders. Although the Supreme Court of India has ruled that demolitions cannot be used as extrajudicial punishment, human-rights advocates say those rulings are routinely ignored.
“The government knows it cannot criminalise the phrase ‘I Love Muhammad’ itself,” said Nadeem Khan, APCR’s national coordinator. “So it frames charges of disturbing public order or promoting enmity instead. This is a way to punish religious identity without saying so outright.”
What the Law Says
India’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and expression under Articles 19 and 25. Legal experts say merely expressing affection for a religious figure does not violate any Indian law, unless it incites violence or hatred.
However, police have invoked Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code — which prohibits promoting hostility between religious groups — and local laws banning “unlawful assemblies.”
According to Amnesty International India, these charges lack legal justification. “Targeting people for slogans like ‘I Love Muhammad,’ which are peaceful and devoid of incitement, fails to meet the constitutional threshold for restriction,” said Aakar Patel, Amnesty India chair. “Public-order concerns cannot justify the blanket suppression of religious identity or belief.”
A Pattern of Selective Enforcement
Analysts say the crackdown fits a wider pattern of selective law enforcement against Muslims since Modi’s BJP came to power in 2014.
Hate-speech incidents have surged dramatically: from 668 recorded cases in 2023 to over 1,100 in 2024, according to data compiled by civil-society groups — most in BJP-ruled regions or election-bound states.
“Local religious disputes are quickly turned into national spectacles,” said Asim Ali, a Delhi-based political analyst. “A vast ecosystem — from partisan media to online networks — amplifies such controversies, while law enforcement reads any expression of Muslim identity as potential provocation.”
Following the Kanpur episode, BJP workers in Varanasi responded with posters saying “I Love Bulldozer,” celebrating the demolition of Muslim homes.
Political, Not Religious
Some observers believe the “I Love Muhammad” controversy is less about religion and more about political messaging ahead of upcoming state elections.
“It’s a political, not theological, issue,” said Rasheed Kidwai, a political commentator. “It plays into polarisation narratives that mobilise Hindu votes by portraying Muslims as troublemakers.”
Young Muslims, however, say the message they intended was one of faith and pride, not confrontation. “Wearing a T-shirt with ‘I Love Muhammad’ should not be a crime,” said a student activist from Lucknow. “It’s our way of expressing love for our Prophet, not hatred toward anyone else.”
Rising Anxiety Among Muslim Youth
The arrests have deepened a sense of alienation among India’s 200-million-strong Muslim community, particularly the youth. Many feel that simply expressing religious identity can now invite police action.
“In theory, everyone is already guilty,” said analyst Asim Ali. “The message is clear — any visible sign of Muslim identity can be treated as subversive.”
For many young Muslims, that sense of fear is replacing hope. “It’s getting harder to imagine what the future holds,” said one protester in Mumbai. “The tempo of hate is rising every day.”
International Reaction
Human-rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have called on India to halt what they describe as “collective punishment and religious profiling.”
Global faith leaders have also condemned the criminalisation of peaceful expressions of devotion. However, India’s federal government has defended local authorities, saying law enforcement is acting “to maintain peace and public order.”
Key Takeaways
- Over 2,500 Indian Muslims charged for using the slogan “I Love Muhammad.”
- Crackdown began in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, and spread nationwide.
- Bulldozer demolitions continue despite Supreme Court warnings.
- Experts say actions violate constitutional rights to free expression and faith.
- Rights groups warn the move reflects systemic Islamophobia in India.
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