False Context Surrounds Viral Video of Owaisi’s Reaction to ‘I Love Muhammad’ Poster

A misleading video of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi is circulating on social media with false claims about his reaction to an “I Love Muhammad” poster. The nine-second clip, which shows Owaisi appearing to refuse the poster, has been taken out of context and is being misrepresented online.

The viral video shows Owaisi with supporters holding a poster featuring the phrase “I Love Muhammad” alongside an image of Gumbad-e-Khizra, a revered religious site in Medina. In the clip, Owaisi can be heard saying, “Don’t make me a sinner, you keep this yourself,” which some social media users have interpreted as him refusing to accept the poster due to potential controversies.

However, a fact-check investigation by Vishvas News has revealed the complete context of the interaction. The full video, originally posted by Etemaad Daily on Instagram on October 3, shows Owaisi initially accepting the poster for a photo opportunity. Upon noticing that his own picture appeared alongside the sacred Gumbad-e-Khizra, Owaisi asked for his image to be covered with a hand before returning the poster.

“Where is the Gumbad-e-Khizra and where am I? Put your hand on this (his picture)… This should not be done. Look, you people are making me a sinner,” Owaisi can be heard saying in the complete video.

The politician’s objection was specifically about the juxtaposition of his image with the sacred religious site, which he considered inappropriate and disrespectful – not about refusing the “I Love Muhammad” message itself.

Multiple news outlets, including TV9 Hindi and NDTV, have reported on the incident with the proper context. An NDTV report from October 3 explained that while the “I Love Muhammad” controversy has been widely discussed across India, Owaisi’s reaction in this specific instance was about maintaining proper religious respect by not having his image placed alongside a sacred site.

A Hindustan Times report from October 6 further clarified Owaisi’s stance, stating that the AIMIM chief has publicly said the “I Love Muhammad” slogan is not illegal and that no one should object to it.

When contacted by Vishvas News for verification, Owaisi himself confirmed that the video was being shared with a false narrative. “This video is being spread with a false claim. I have stated my position on the ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign multiple times,” he said.

The misleading clip was shared by a Facebook user named Pramod Sharma on October 6 with the caption: “Owaisi refused to take the I Love Muhammad picture, said don’t drag me into this mess #ilovemuhammad.” Sharma’s profile indicates he is a journalist based in Noida with approximately 1,000 followers.

This incident highlights the growing problem of decontextualized videos and misleading narratives on social media platforms, particularly regarding politically sensitive issues and religious matters. Without proper context, brief clips can be manipulated to suggest meanings entirely different from the actual events, potentially inflaming tensions or spreading misinformation.