AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday criticised what he described as a prevailing &ldquo;double standard&rdquo; in India, claiming it was acceptable to say &ldquo;I love Modi&rdquo; but controversial to say &ldquo;I love Muhammad.&rdquo;
Speaking in Hyderabad against the backdrop of unrest in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, Owaisi remarked, &ldquo;In this country, you can say "I love Modi" and the media celebrates it. But if someone says "I love Muhammad", objections are raised. If I am a Muslim today, it is because of Muhammad. Where are you taking this nation?&rdquo;
His comments came after violence erupted in Bareilly last week over posters with the slogan &ldquo;I Love Muhammad.&rdquo; 
The situation escalated when more than 2,000 people gathered outside a mosque following Friday prayers, leading to stone-pelting, clashes with police, and several injuries. 
Authorities have so far arrested at least 81 individuals.
The controversy originated in Kanpur on September 9, when an FIR was lodged over &ldquo;I Love Muhammad&rdquo; boards displayed during a Barawafat procession. 
The issue intensified after cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan called for protests in Bareilly, which eventually turned violent.
Owaisi further accused law enforcement agencies of acting selectively, pointing to viral videos of alleged police lathi-charges. 
&ldquo;The police are accountable only to those in power, and to no one else,&rdquo; he alleged.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to restore calm, the senior cleric of Ala Hazrat Dargah appealed to Muslims to disperse peacefully after prayers. 
With Dussehra and Friday prayers coinciding, authorities have stepped up security measures&mdash;suspending internet services in four districts, deploying PAC and RAF forces, and monitoring the situation through drones.&nbsp;
Bareilly continues to remain under tight security as tensions simmer.

Police clash with protestors during Bareilly unrest

Owaisi says India allows ‘I love Modi’ but protests erupt over "I love Muhammad"

Owaisi Slams Bias Amid Bareilly Tensions

Owaisi says India allows ‘I love Modi’ but protests erupt over "I love Muhammad"

October 3, 2025 | 16:28 IST