The Asian Tribune
editor@asiantribune.net
The police have registered a case against two dozen youth for putting up an ‘I love Muhammad’ signboard in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
The incident that has come to light recently, has come as a surprise for citizens as Muslims had organized the ‘Eid Milad Un Nabi’ procession, just like previous years.
The day to mark the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad, is observed across the country and processions are taken out in most cities of India.
But, the fact that Uttar Pradesh police registered a case against youth for celebrating the birth anniversary of the Prophet, led to FIR, has shocked the people from different sections.
The sign board was put up at Sayyad Nagar in Kanpur, as part of the decoration in localities on September 4. Later, the police registered an FIR under the sections meant for ‘promoting enmity among different sections of the society’.
As many as two dozen youth were booked in the FIR that was registered for putting up the glow signboard.
All India Majlis Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticized the action against the youth. Reacting to the FIR, he shared a Urdu couplet on social media platform, X.
In the post, he expressed that the action was wrong and for the sake of the love of Prophet, there could be much bigger sacrifices that would be made, again.
Owaisi wrote that, ‘it was not an offence’. Large number of people condemned the action and expressed surprise over the FIR against the youth.
Meanwhile, on social media, hashtag #ILoveMuhammad was soon trending as information about the FIR, spread.
It is said that the right-wing groups had objected to the signboard and termed it as starting a ‘new tradition’.
The policemen were sent to the spot to ‘diffuse tension’ & then, the action was taken.
Glow signboard was removed. However, police later used CCTV footage to ascertain identity of the youth who put up the sign board.
Eight persons were reportedly named in the FIR and, overall, two dozens including unnamed youth were booked.
It was claimed that the signboard was hung near the Ram Navami procession gate and as it was not put up in the past, hence, it caused ‘tension’.
The signboard had been removed and there were allegedly slogans made by right-wing group members, but no case was registered in this regard. However, on the complaint of a sub-inspector, Pankaj Sharma, nearly two dozen youth were booked.
UPDATE: After AIMIM chief Owaisi’s statement, Kanpur police has has come up with a statement that such action has not been taken.
