Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday asserted that his government has sent out a strong message that disturbances in law and order will not be tolerated, a day after violence broke out in Bareilly during protests linked to the "I Love Muhammad" campaign.
Speaking at a 'Viksit UP' programme organised by a media group, Adityanath said, "Whenever there were festivals, there was some upheaval, but now rioters will be taught a lesson in the language they understand so that their future generations will also remember (not to indulge in such actions)."
He also remarked, "Sometimes people are not able to shun their bad habits easily. For that, denting-painting are required... You saw this in Bareilly yesterday. A Maulana forgot who is in power." Without taking names, his comments appeared to be directed at cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan, chief of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council, who had called for a protest in support of the campaign and was arrested on Saturday for allegedly orchestrating the violence.
The chief minister criticised Khan’s stance, saying, "He thought he could halt the system by issuing threats whenever he wanted, but we made it clear that there would be neither a roadblock nor a curfew. However, you will be taught such a lesson that your future generations will never indulge in rioting."
Adityanath also questioned the intent behind the protest. "What kind of way is this to halt the system? This was the trend in UP before 2017, but after 2017, we have not allowed even a curfew," he said. "Such barriers in the state's development were dealt with aptly. The story of Uttar Pradesh's development begins here."
On the state’s bulldozer policy, the BJP leader defended the action. "There are people who incite sentiments based on caste, exploit people... we made the bulldozer for such people," he declared.
Meanwhile, tension mounted in Bareilly following clashes between police and a large group carrying "I Love Muhammad" posters outside a mosque in the Kotwali area after Friday prayers. The crowd was angered over the last-minute cancellation of a demonstration called by Khan, who alleged that the administration had denied permission.
Police later conducted house-to-house raids overnight to track down the accused. Eight individuals, including Khan, were arrested and remanded to judicial custody for two weeks. Officials said more than 500 people are being identified through CCTV and mobile footage.
District Magistrate Avinash Singh stated that Section 163 of the BNSS — which empowers authorities to issue orders in urgent cases of nuisance or danger — was in force, requiring written permission for any march or demonstration. "Despite this, some individuals took to the streets, attempting to disrupt peace," Singh said, adding that over two dozen were detained on the spot.
DIG Ajay Kumar Sahni described the clashes as suggestive of a "pre-planned conspiracy." He vowed to track every perpetrator through video evidence and ensure "exemplary punishment" to prevent such incidents in the future.
In a statement, the Uttar Pradesh Information Department termed the Bareilly violence a "well-planned conspiracy" aimed at creating unrest in Western UP. It alleged the intent was to damage the atmosphere around the Noida International Trade Show and discourage foreign investors, thereby obstructing the state’s development agenda.
The controversy dates back to September 9, when Kanpur police lodged an FIR against 24 people for allegedly putting up "I Love Muhammad" boards during an Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi procession on September 4. Hindu groups objected to the move, calling it a "deliberate provocation" and a "deviation from tradition."
Muslim organisations, however, opposed the FIR, sparking protests that quickly spread to several districts of Uttar Pradesh and even to states like Uttarakhand and Karnataka.
With inputs from PTI
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