- Religious leaders in Varanasi held a counter-protest with 'I Love Mahadev' posters
- The controversy began with 'I Love Muhammad' posters in Kanpur during Eid Milad-un-Nabi
- Tensions rose as both Hindu and Muslim groups accused each other of provocation
A counter-campaign has emerged in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi after weeks of controversy around posters proclaiming "I Love Muhammad". Religious leaders took to the streets on Tuesday with placards reading "I Love Mahadev", in what they described as a response to allegedly "provocative" attempts to unsettle communal peace.
The controversy first broke out earlier this month during Eid Milad-un-Nabi - or Barawafat - which marks the birth of Prophet Muhammad. On September 4, a lightboard with the words "I Love Muhammad" was erected along the procession route in Kanpur's Rawatpur area.
The board was objected to by local Hindu groups who argued that it was deliberately installed in a mixed neighbourhood where Hindu festivals like Ram Navami are traditionally celebrated. Tensions rose as both communities accused each other of provocation -- Hindus alleging that their posters were damaged, and Muslims claiming they were targeted for merely expressing love for the Prophet.
Social media amplified the campaign, with hashtags like #ILoveMuhammad trending widely. Users changed their profile pictures and shared images of the slogan, while political leaders weighed in. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi posted on social media that "saying I Love Muhammad is not a crime", citing constitutional protection under Article 25.
But tensions further inflamed when a video surfaced of Nafees, an Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) leader, allegedly threatening Kanpur's Qila police station SHO Subhash Kumar during the poster removal drive. "I told the inspector I would cut off his hand... I would have him stripped of his uniform," Nafees is heard saying in the clip. Police later filed a case against him, with SP (City) Manush Pareek insisting that law and order would not be allowed to break down.
Varanasi Counterprotest
Hindu religious leaders organised a counter-demonstration in Varanasi, describing it as a symbolic reply. On Tuesday, religious figures marched through the city with posters and banners declaring "I Love Mahadev", a reference to Lord Shiva.
The demonstration, led by Jagadguru Shankaracharya Narendrananda, accused those behind the "I Love Muhammad" movement of trying to "destroy the country under the guise of devotion". He and other leaders alleged that conspiracies were being hatched to destabilise governments and divide society.
From Mumbai To Malvani
The controversy has not remained confined to Uttar Pradesh. In Malvani, a Muslim-majority neighbourhood in Mumbai, clerics and religious leaders visited the local police station this week to register concern over the Kanpur incident. They accused authorities of discriminating against Muslims by removing the posters and filing FIRs, while allowing Hindu groups to mount counter-campaigns.
