"What's wrong with that... Indian Constitution guarantees religious freedom": Owaisi on 'I Love Muhammad' row

New Delhi [India], October 11 (ANI): All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday criticised the Uttar Pradesh government over the 'I Love Muhammad' poster controversy, stating that expressing love for Prophet Muhammad is a matter of "faith" and questioned why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was objecting to it.
In an interview with ANI, the AIMIM President said that the UP government should release those who have been arrested in connection with the 'I Love Muhammad' poster row.
"Why does the BJP hate love so much?... We demand that the UP government release those who have been arrested. This is not sending a good message within the country, or even abroad," AIMIM chief Owaisi.
Earlier, a group of people had gathered outside Ala Hazrat Dargah and Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan's residence, holding 'I Love Mohammad' placards. The protestors pelted stones at the police after the Friday prayers.
Following the chaos, the Uttar Pradesh police arrested Maulana Mohsin Raza in connection with the September 26 protests in Bareilly.
"The most precious thing in the world for us is love for the Prophet Muhammad. It is more precious than our parents, our wealth, our children; it is part of our faith. Now, if someone is expressing it, what's wrong with that? If someone resorts to violence, it is condemnable," Owaisi told ANI.
Owaisi further asserted there was "no violence" linked to the display of the posters and insisted that holding placards expressing religious devotion is "constitutionally protected".
"If I am holding a poster expressing my faith, and Article 25 of the Indian Constitution guarantees religious freedom, there was nothing in that poster that could incite violence. Someone said, 'I love Mahadev,' do it. That's the beauty of this country. Ninety-eight per cent of people in this country are religious," the AIMIM chief said.
Recalling a previous instance, Owaisi pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promoted a poster of 'Lord Hanuman' created by a Kerala-based artist in 2018. "Narendra Modi promoted a poster by a Kerala artist. It was a poster of Hanuman, and Modi promoted it, and no one objected. We are not doing that even today," he added.
Earlier, hitting out at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), AIMIM chief Asaddudin Owaisi reiterated that "India is a country with no religion," adding that RSS and BJP believe "there's only one religion in India".
"India is a country that has no religion, but the BJP and RSS believe that they have only one religion. The Constitution says that this country has no religion, but the BJP and RSS believe that they have only one religion. The Constitution says that this country has no religion, we believe in all religions. Even if someone doesn't believe in a religion, we celebrate that too," Owaisi concluded. (ANI)