Congress Enters the Fray with ‘I Love Constitution’ in Response to ‘I Love Mohammad’ Controversy

The Congress party has entered the debate surrounding the ‘I Love Mohammad’ trend with a campaign promoting ‘I Love Constitution.’ Hoardings supporting this message have been erected outside the Congress office in Lucknow. These posters feature images of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders. Congress leader Abdullah Sherkhan is credited with putting up the posters. The ‘I Love Mohammad’ controversy has triggered numerous social media trends, including ‘I Love Mahadev,’ ‘I Love Mahakal,’ and ‘I Love Ram.’ Campaigns both supporting and opposing the trend have been seen in Uttarakhand, Telangana, and Maharashtra. The controversy began in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on September 4th, and has since spread to other states. The initial incident occurred during a Barawafat procession in Rawatpur, Kanpur, where a light board displaying ‘I Love Mohammad’ was displayed, relating to the celebration of Eid Milad-un-Nabi. The Muslim community maintains that ‘I love Mohammad’ is a declaration of faith and not a criminal act. Controversial slogans were raised in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, and similar actions took place in Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, and Telangana. Reports and visuals emerged from Gujarat as well. From the perspective of the Hindu community, the banners were seen as a provocation, with local Hindu organizations expressing concern over the ‘new tradition’ and its potential to disrupt communal harmony.