In a bold display of defiance, over two dozen Muslim women gathered outside Uttar Pradesh’s Vidhan Bhavan in Lucknow on September 20, protesting recent police action against Milad-un-Nabi celebrations.
Days earlier, authorities had booked more than two dozen individuals for allegedly disturbing communal harmony by erecting boards during the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday festivities. The demonstrators, brandishing placards emblazoned with “I Love Muhammad,” sought to reclaim religious expression amid accusations of selective enforcement.
Led by Sumaiya Rana, daughter of renowned poet Munawwar Rana, the group raised fervent chants honouring the Prophet, drawing attention to what they called discriminatory policing. The peaceful rally quickly descended into chaos when police intervened to disperse the crowd, resulting in the brief detention of several participants. Authorities later released them at Eco Garden, a nearby public space, without formal charges.
Speaking to reporters post-release, Sumaiya Rana lambasted the BJP-led state government, alleging it viewed the Muslim community as a threat. “The FIR is unconstitutional and strikes at India’s secular fabric,” she declared. “Law and order in Uttar Pradesh applies only to select religious communities, stifling minority voices while shielding majoritarian excesses.”
Rana’s words echoed broader grievances over rising communal tensions, where routine religious observances face scrutiny under vague “harmony” clauses.
The protest, though short-lived, amplified calls for equitable legal application, highlighting fractures in UP’s social cohesion. As similar incidents proliferate, activists urge judicial intervention to safeguard constitutional freedoms for all faiths. — With Agencies’ Inputs
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