The arrest of cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan in Bareilly over “I Love Mohammad” protests highlights UP police’s heavy-handed tactics and the government’s failure to address dissent with dialogue.

The Uttar Pradesh government and police have once again drawn criticism after cleric and Ittehad-e-Millat Council chief Tauqeer Raza Khan was arrested in Bareilly following Friday’s “I Love Mohammad” protest. What began as a call for peaceful demonstration quickly spiraled into clashes, prompting the police to swoop in with arrests late Friday night. By Saturday morning, Raza and seven others were placed under 14-day judicial custody.

Authorities framed him as the “main conspirator” behind the unrest, but critics argue that the state’s approach reflects a disturbing pattern: rather than defusing tensions, the UP administration relies on arrests and courtroom optics. This aggressive style of policing has raised questions about selective crackdowns and the government’s unwillingness to engage with dissent before it turns volatile.

The origins of the controversy trace back to Kanpur, where police registered FIRs earlier this month against those displaying “I Love Mohammad” boards during an Eid procession. Hindu groups labeled it a provocation, setting off a chain of protests across UP and beyond. Instead of mediating between communities, police responses have largely been marked by detentions and lathi charges.

Local voices in Bareilly argue that the government’s heavy hand risks deepening mistrust between communities. A slogan of faith was treated like a law-and-order crisis, and instead of dialogue, the crackdown has made the issue national. The incident highlights how fragile communal peace remains in Uttar Pradesh, and how policing rooted in fear rather than fairness continues to inflame tensions.

Opinion: If the state truly seeks peace, it must rethink its knee-jerk reliance on arrests. Building trust between communities demands dialogue, not brute force. Otherwise, each protest will only pave the way for deeper divides.