Asaduddin Owaisi, the head of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), has spoken out against the controversy over the “I Love Muhammad” posters. He severely questions the actions of the authorities who took them down and the violence that followed in Uttar Pradesh.
At a rally in Bahadurganj, Bihar, Owaisi talked about an event where officials allegedly took a sign with the phrase from a parade in a city.
“What is illegal about carrying around a sign that says ‘I love Mohammad’?” What about it makes people want to hurt, attack, or kill? the AIMIM leader asked.
Owaisi talked about how important it is to protect places of worship and provide people the freedom to practice their religion. He said this is something that elders have taught since India’s independence. He made it clear that he doesn’t mind other groups expressing their faith in the same way.
We don’t mind if someone uses the same slogan for any of their religious leaders, like our Hindu brethren did with “I love Mahadev.” He said, “This is what they believe,” according to media.
Owaisi on Government Actions: “Attacking Our Hearts”
The AIMIM leader further up his criticism by saying that the government’s actions are “attacking” the hearts of Muslims. He linked the poster row to other controversial issues, such as the ban on the headscarf.
“You told our girls they couldn’t wear burqas and hijabs.” What the government is doing right now is hurting our hearts. Keep in mind that we’ve been able to handle attacks on every area of our bodies. “But who will live when the heart is attacked?” he asked the gathering.
Violence and mass arrests follow protests in Bareilly.
Owaisi’s comments come after a lot of trouble in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, over the identical poster issue. The protests grew violent, which led to the suspension of internet access in four districts and a large security presence.
The violence started when more than 2,000 people gathered outside a mosque after Friday prayers on September 26. People came together to protest the postponement of a planned demonstration against the “I Love Muhammad” poster issue. During the incident, protesters threw stones, which forced the police to use lathis, injuring many officers.
The first problem came from a FIR filed in Kanpur on September 9th about the supposed placement of “I Love Muhammad” boards on a public road during a Barawafat parade. Since then, police have arrested at least 81 people in connection with the violence in Bareilly.