A man in Uttar Pradesh (UP) created a controversy after editing an picture of himself with a friend to make it look like he was posing with a Muslim woman.
The man was identified as Amit Singh Rathore, a resident of Gaziabad and a self-proclaimed “Hindu Sher”. Rathore posted the edited picture on his Instagram handle @hindu_amit_singh_rathore three days ago. The post is captioned “I love Ayesha”.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by अमित राठौर (@hindu_amit_singh_rathore)
This post comes at a time when several people in UP and Uttarakhand have been booked and imprisoned for putting up “I love Muhammad” banners during Milad un Nabi earlier in September. A fact check done by Alt News showed that the original picture shows Rathore with his male friend and was digitally altered.
Also Read‘I Love Muhammad’ protests: 1,324 booked, 38 held nationwide, says report
Several derogatory posts have been uploaded on Rathore’s Instagram against minorities. He is also seen with Dasna Devi Temple priest Yati Narsinghanand.
1,324 booked for I Love Muhammad protest
According to a report by Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) reveals that 21 FIRs were filed naming 1,324 Muslims and leading to 38 arrests, following ‘I Love Muhammad’ protests that spread after a police crackdown in Kanpur’s Barawafat procession over banners carrying the slogan.
Uttar Pradesh registered 16 FIRs and more than 1,000 accused across districts, including Unnao with eight cases, 85 accused and five arrested; Kaushambi with 24 accused and three arrested; Baghpat with 150 accused and two arrested.
In Uttarakhand, 401 people were booked, leading to seven arrests, while Gujarat recorded 88 accused with 17 arrests, and Baroda reported one case with one arrest. Maharashtra’s Byculla logged a single case with one person booked and arrested.
“Targeting people for expressing their love and respect for the Prophet is a gross violation of fundamental rights. Peaceful religious expression should never be criminalised,” APCR’s national secretary, Nadeem Khan was quoted as saying by Maktoob Media.
APCR said it plans to seek judicial intervention, either through a writ petition in the Supreme Court or a Public Interest Litigation.
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