The battle for Uttar Pradesh is still more than a year away, but already, experiments have started to shape perceptions and craft narratives. Across the streets, intersections, and neighborhoods of Uttar Pradesh, a sudden wave of “I Love…” posters has appeared. At first glance, they may seem harmless, but the intent behind them is far more sinister. These posters are not just about expressing devotion. They are being used as tools to create a false impression that Muslims in Uttar Pradesh are facing severe oppression, that they cannot even openly express their love for their Prophet. The truth, however, is very different. In Kanpur and several other areas, incidents of stone pelting were carried out under the garb of these posters. Posters of other religions were torn down, tensions were deliberately inflamed during the festive season, and an attempt was made to disturb communal harmony. This was not an act of devotion—it was a calculated move to manufacture victimhood and target the Yogi Adityanath government.
This fabricated narrative is no different from the one that has recently been propagated around Padma Shri Mohammad Shahid and his ancestral house. Known across the world as the “Dribbling Master,” Shahid was a legendary hockey player. His performance in the 1980 Moscow Olympics brought India glory as his goal helped secure the nation’s gold medal. It is even believed that Shah Rukh Khan’s character in the film “Chak De India” was inspired by Mohammad Shahid. Such was his stature that he remains a symbol of national pride and honor. But today, in the race to protect a crumbling Muslim vote bank, even a figure like Shahid has been dragged into a web of lies and deceit. A campaign was launched on social media, alleging that the Yogi government had heartlessly bulldozed the home of a respected Padma Shri awardee. Images and videos circulated with captions claiming injustice and cruelty against a poor Muslim family. But once again, the truth tells a very different story.
The reality is that in Varanasi, road widening work is being carried out on the Sindhora to Golghar Court route to make it a four-lane road. For this project, houses and shops obstructing the path have been demolished after following due process. The Public Works Department has already given compensation and sufficient time to the affected families. According to the PWD Executive Engineer, over ₹3.52 crore in compensation has been distributed among 71 people. These individuals, including Hindus and Muslims, accepted compensation and agreed to vacate their houses. In fact, more than 50 houses and shops were already demolished months ago, and the recent action brought the number of demolished structures to more than 60. This makes it absolutely clear that the bulldozer was not targeting one community. Hindus too had their homes demolished, but the so-called “secular ecosystem” and its media allies chose to highlight only the Muslim side of the story, painting it as an example of oppression.
In the case of Mohammad Shahid’s family, compensation was already received, and written consent was given for demolition. The official press release of the PWD explains this in detail. It notes that the property registered in the name of Salamat Ullah and his heirs, including Shahid’s wife Parveen Shahid and his sons and daughters, was compensated for two years ago. Affidavits were submitted by the heirs themselves, agreeing to vacate the house for road expansion. Six of the nine shareholders of the property signed and collected their compensation long before demolition began. The Public Works Department made it clear that the family had been informed, compensated at current market prices, and had agreed to hand over the property. Yet, when the demolition finally took place, some relatives of Shahid staged emotional protests demanding more time, which were then carefully recorded, edited, and circulated online to push a political narrative: “Look at how a poor Muslim family is pleading with the government, and the cruel Yogi administration is ignoring them.”
This is propaganda at its worst. Hundreds of houses, belonging to Hindus and Muslims alike, have been demolished for the project. Compensation was given to every family. Consent was taken in writing. Yet, by focusing selectively on one house and one Muslim family, the opposition ecosystem tried to build another fake narrative of minority oppression. Should road development, which benefits lakhs of people, be halted because one family refuses to vacate even after accepting compensation? Should national development be stopped to protect lies and propaganda? The Yogi government has made it clear: development cannot and will not be stalled by vote-bank politics.
What is even more telling is that the very family that was being paraded as victims by the ecosystem has now exposed the falsehood themselves. Mohammad Shahid’s wife, Parveen Shahid, has filed a police complaint against her own brother-in-law, accusing him of assault and interference. According to her, the house built by her late husband was already under the road-widening plan. She acknowledged that the house was part of the project and compensation was accepted. Yet, her brother-in-law and other relatives tried to exploit the situation, staging protests for political mileage. This shows how deep the rot of narrative-building runs. Even the grief and legacy of a national sports icon were misused to spread lies against the government.
The pattern is clear. First, posters like “I Love Prophet” are used to trigger tensions. Then, incidents like the Shahid house demolition are twisted into tales of oppression. The target is not really about the Prophet or Shahid. The target is the Yogi government, the BJP, and the larger Hindu identity. The opposition and their ecosystem thrive on manufacturing victimhood because they know they cannot challenge development, law and order, and governance. Yogi Adityanath’s administration has built a reputation for decisiveness, discipline, and zero tolerance toward lawlessness. Bulldozers symbolize not cruelty but justice – justice against encroachment, injustice, and corruption. That is why they instill fear in the lawless and confidence in the common citizen.
The case of Mohammad Shahid proves yet again that the so-called secular narrative cannot survive the test of facts. Compensation was given. Consent was taken. Hindus and Muslims alike had houses demolished. And yet, the machinery of lies attempted to create an illusion of oppression. But truth has a way of prevailing, and in this case, it was Shahid’s own family that punctured the fake narrative. Uttar Pradesh is moving forward under Yogi Adityanath, not backward. Roads are being widened, cities are being modernized, and law and order are being maintained. No amount of poster politics or false propaganda will stop this march of progress.
This is the reality that must be understood. The attempt to paint Uttar Pradesh as a state of oppression is nothing but political theatre. Whether through posters or through lies around a Padma Shri awardee, the aim is the same: to polarize, to mislead, and to target the government. But as long as facts are spoken and the truth is exposed, these conspiracies will continue to fail.