BK Singh
BAREILLY/ LUCKNOW: In a pre-emptive security move tied to the uproar over the recent “I Love Muhammad” posters that grabbed national attention, the Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday ordered a 48-hour suspension of internet services in Bareilly to maintain law and order during Dussehra celebrations.
The order, issued under Section 7 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, and the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services Rules, runs from 1500 hours on October 2 to 1500 hours on October 4, 2025.
The suspension accompanies stepped-up ground measures: police and the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) conducted flag marches in several districts, drones were deployed for aerial surveillance, and additional units of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) were dispatched to sensitive areas to prevent any flare-ups during the festive period.
“It’s Vijaya Dashami today. We are conducting this flag march to ensure women’s safety. Patrolling is being done. Security arrangements have been made,” said Anshika Verma, Superintendent of Police (South), Bareilly, underlining the administration’s emphasis on visible policing ahead of large gatherings.
An official government notification signed by Gaurav Dayal, Secretary, Home Department, Uttar Pradesh, set out the telecommunications suspension in precise legal terms, citing the temporary rules that allow curbs on services to prevent public disorder.
Security Establishment, Administration, and Citizen Groups Call Placard Campaign Pre-meditated Provocation
The heightened vigilance follows violent incidents in Bareilly on September 26, sparked after an Islamic cleric announced a sit-in protesting alleged derogatory remarks against the Prophet in several districts, and in the wake of controversy over “I Love Muhammad” posters that surfaced during an Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi procession in Kanpur—an episode that led to police action and cases against 24 people amid objections from right-wing groups.
Officials and many right-leaning citizen groups quoted by the administration describe the appearance of English-language placards—bearing devotional words in a format unfamiliar to many local traditions—as a calculated, attention-seeking provocation.
These voices say the posters appeared deliberately designed to attract national and international attention and to foment communal tensions.
“Security agencies and conscientious citizens view this placard campaign as a manufactured provocation by rogue elements,” said an official close to the state administration.
“Our reading is that such acts are aimed at creating communal faultlines and could be part of a broader effort to incite unrest.” State sources added that police intelligence is investigating alleged channels of instigation, including claims of outside interference; these leads are being pursued but have not been publicly substantiated.
If a group or community, or for that matter, er an individual has a grievance, there are legal ways and laid down procedures.
Go to the district magistrate with an application, and if you still want to protest peacefully, there are designated places in each district where one could sit on n dharna and express their disapproval in case your demand you feel is genuine.
This does not end here, courts are functioning in the country, one could file a petition, but one fine morning, a group of rogues came out on the street with placards and created an atmosphere of fear was certainly not in the constitution, say social activists.
Police Say They Acted Swiftly; Opposition and Civil Rights Groups Demand Evidence
The UP police maintain their measures are precautionary and driven by the need to prevent escalation during a sensitive festival period. Officials say the language, timing, and method of display of the posters raised alarm bells and merited immediate containment and investigation.
Civil-rights groups and some opposition leaders, however, have urged caution against attributing malicious intent to entire communities.
They have asked the administration to make any intelligence that points to foreign or organised involvement public and to ensure that actions taken in the name of security remain proportionate and within the law.
Government Warning: Lawful Expression is Permitted, Street Provocation Won’t Be Tolerated
State sources say the government has directed police to identify and prosecute those responsible for deliberate provocations—particularly anyone found to have staged public displays with the intent to inflame communal sentiment.
Officials stress that while the Indian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and expression, it does not permit street actions that threaten public order or deliberately incite discord.
A senior official told reporters that enforcement measures will focus on miscreants alleged to be operating beyond lawful protest: “We will short-list real troublemakers and act firmly within legal parameters.
Peaceful worship and lawful demonstration remain protected. But those seeking to create chaos under the cover of religiosity must expect strict action.”
What This Means on the Ground
For residents of Bareilly and neighbouring districts, the immediate effect is a curtailed digital connectivity for two days and a visible increase in security presence across markets, procession routes, and other public spaces.
The administration says these steps are temporary and necessary to deter any attempt to exploit religious processions or festivals for orchestrated unrest.
Looking Ahead
The state’s position — that provocative placards and sudden public demonstrations in English suggest an attempt to internationalise or sensationalise a local matter — will now be tested by the ongoing investigations.
Police intelligence claims of outside instigation remain to be independently verified; rights groups insist on transparency and adherence to civil liberties even as authorities promise decisive action against those who break the law.
The message from Uttar Pradesh’s administration is unambiguous: celebrate peacefully during Dussehra and other festivals, but attempts to engineer communal disturbance—wherever they originate—will be met with firm policing and legal consequences.
#Bareilly #UttarPradesh #InternetShutdown #Dussehra #ILoveMuhammad #CommunalTension #PublicOrder #UPPolice #PAC #RAF #LawAndOrder
I