Lucknow: Not too long ago, Uttar Pradesh has seen a number of demonstrations supporting the “I Love Muhammad” marketing campaign. Nevertheless, in Barreily, after Friday’s prayer, one such protest grew to become violent, resulting in a conflict between protesters and police. The protest was convened by Chief Mauranataukiarazakan of the ittehad-e-millat Council (IMC).
He had heavy stone chests and several other individuals had been injured. Police have filed 10 circumstances in 5 totally different police stations, naming 55-year-old Maulanataukia the seven main accused. On Saturday, Valerie police arrested him together with seven others, with 39 extra individuals in custody.
The controversy started at Kanpur on September 4th in the course of the Barawafat (Eid-e-Milad-un-nabi) matrix. A banner was erected saying, “I really like Muhammad,” however the Hindu group opposed it, claiming it was an try and launch a “new custom.” Police stepped in and mentioned authorities guidelines didn’t enable new practices to be added to such processions.
The FIR stayed for twenty-four individuals, as the standard tent was eliminated and the banner was positioned elsewhere.
The problem escalated additional on September fifteenth, when Aimim chief Asaduddin Owaisi posted to X and tagged the Kanpur police and mentioned it was not a criminal offense to point out love for the Prophet.
On September nineteenth, Taukya Raza introduced that after Friday’s prayer he mentioned that the “I Am Muhammad Love Muhammad” controversy can be “at any price.”
This isn’t the primary time Maulana Tauqeer has attracted public consideration. His identify has been linked to a joint riot for many years.
In response to UP police data, the primary FIR towards him was registered in 1982 to incite violence. Many extra circumstances adopted in 1987, 1988, 1996, 2000, 2007 and 2010 when he was accused of taking part in a central position within the riots at Premnagar Police Station in Bareilly.
He was additionally accused of Juloos-e-Mohammadi violence in 2010, inflicting a number of law enforcement officials to be injured, resulting in a 27-day curfew. In 2019, the eighth FIR was at Kotwari Police Station, with ninth place in Sambal in 2020 and one other FIR stayed in Faridpur in 2023. Regardless of this lengthy listing, he had nearly prevented prisons up till now.
A senior official from the prime minister’s workplace mentioned, “Each time Maulana has been extra encouraging and continues to place stress on the police station, his makes an attempt to incite violence underneath the Yogi authorities have confirmed pricey. He was arrested on the night time of the riot and despatched to jail the next morning.”
A senior Valerie police officer talking on situation of anonymity mentioned, “Taukia maintains political ties all through the get together. He was arrested this time, however prior to now he has at all times been capable of keep away from prisons. His attain was not restricted to opposition leaders. He was very lively within the district, and his affect escaped arrest in 2010, however he’s prone to be in jail for at the very least two weeks.”
Influential Clergy
Tauqeer Raza Khan just isn’t solely a priest, but in addition a political determine. A part of the honorable Ala Hazrat household of the Burelvian sect, he’s a descendant of Ahmed Raza Khan, the founding father of the denomination. His brother, Maulana Suban Raza Khan (Subani Miyan), led Ala Hazrat Dargah, and his nephew, Mufti Asan Raza Khan, is the present Sajadhanasin (senior chief).
Tauqeer Raza based the Ittehad-e-Millat Council, a regional get together, in 2001. The IMC competed in 20 seats within the 2012 Uttar Pradesh election, however solely received one seat in Bhojipura’s constituency. In 2017, they did not win a seat.
In 2009, Raza’s get together expanded its help for the Congress. 4 years later, in 2013, Chief Arvind Kejriwal of Aam Aadmi Occasion (AAP) visited Bareilly to fulfill him. On the time, Kejwal was making an attempt to broaden AAP bases past Delhi.
Previous to the 2019 Lok Sabha ballot, Raza introduced its help for the SP-BSP Alliance and dismissed the Congress because the “Voting Katua Occasion.” Nevertheless, he as soon as once more supported the Congress within the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Meeting election.
Raza has been lively for over 20 years and has affect in Barreily and adjoining districts. His father, Hazrat Rehan Khan, was as soon as a Congress MLC. In response to media reviews, within the aftermath of the 2010 Barelylee riots, the Barrely District Court docket took the popularity of Sumotu and sued senior police and directors in March 2024 to behave underneath political stress, figuring out him because the mastermind. The subpoena was later issued towards him and he was declared an abscess in 2024 for not showing in courtroom.
I reward Yogi and the controversial assertion
Raza’s previous statements steadily made headlines. At one level he praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for sustaining social concord within the state. In 2022, he famous that the Yogi authorities acted instantly towards younger Hindu individuals who tried to create obstruction by coming into a mosque sporting a cranium hat. He even mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi ought to be taught “Rajdharma” from Yogi.
However lots of his different statements have sparked controversy. In February 2024, he declared that he would by no means depart Gambapi, criticising Babri Masjid’s verdict, claiming that India “has no rule of legislation.” Then, in September 2024, he described RSS, Bajrang Dal and VHP as “terrorist organizations” and demanded that they be banned. Beforehand, in March 2023, he argued that Muslims had been denied justice underneath the Modi authorities, and argued that bulldozers can be used towards these concerned within the homicide of Muslims.
On September 19, 2025, within the “I Love Muhammad” controversy, Raza declared that he would proceed with the protest after Friday’s prayer “at any price.”
(Responsible Mishra Version)
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