New Delhi: Malik Moatasim Khan, Vice President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), has strongly criticised the police crackdown on Muslims displaying banners and raising slogans of love for Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He called the arrests and FIRs unconstitutional, politically motivated, and an attack on India’s pluralist traditions.
Khan stated that portraying the slogan “I Love Prophet Muhammad ﷺ” as a cause for communal tension was flawed and disrespectful to India’s history of religious coexistence. He emphasised that freedom of expression and freedom of religion, guaranteed under Articles 19(1)(a) and 25 of the Constitution, protect such peaceful expressions of devotion.
According to figures from the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), the campaign began in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, and has since spread nationwide. At least 21 FIRs have been filed, implicating over 1,324 Muslims, with 38 arrests reported. Uttar Pradesh accounts for most cases, with 16 FIRs involving more than 1,000 accused. Other states, including Uttarakhand, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, have also reported similar police actions.
Khan criticised what he described as a deliberate escalation by authorities, warning that such actions undermine the rule of law and erode public trust in democratic institutions. He urged Muslims to respond with wisdom, reflecting the Prophet’s teachings of peace, compassion, and justice. He also demanded that all false FIRs be withdrawn, those arrested be released, and officials responsible for overreach be held accountable.
“Respect for fundamental rights and religious pluralism is the foundation of India’s unity. Criminalising peaceful expressions of devotion threatens that foundation,” he said.
