Hyderabad: AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi sharply criticized the authorities for their handling of the “I Love Muhammad” campaign during a public meeting. He argued that while political slogans such as “I love Modi” are widely accepted, proclaiming “I love Muhammad” invites FIRs, detentions, and police crackdowns.
Owaisi declared, “If I am Muslim, it is because of Muhammad, peace be upon him. There is nothing before and after this.” He questioned why a simple affirmation of faith by Muslims is treated as a threat to law and order. His remarks were made against the backdrop of police action in Uttar Pradesh, where posters carrying “I Love Muhammad” led to clashes and arrests in Bareilly and Kanpur.
He also highlighted the role of law enforcement in targeting dissent. Owaisi reminded the audience of an incident when former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao was manhandled by police after leaving office, warning that state machinery often bends with political winds.
Challenging Prime Minister Modi’s praise of the RSS, Owaisi noted that its founder K.B. Hedgewar tried to induct members while in jail but that no RSS figure was martyred in the freedom struggle.
While criticizing what he described as selective freedom of expression, Owaisi urged Muslim youth to remain peaceful and act within the boundaries of the law. He said that laws in India often resemble a spiderweb, ensnaring the weak while the powerful go free. His speech drew attention to the growing concerns over religious bias and the criminalization of Muslim identity in public spaces.
