Deepak Kumar, popularly known as Mohammed Deepak, the Samaritan who firmly stood against Hindutva forces in Uttarakhand, met senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Monday, February 23.
Twinning in blue, Deepak and Rahul met in New Delhi at the latter’s residence. Calling him “Mohabbat ki dukaan ka yodha hai (Deepak is a warrior of the ‘Shop of Love’),” the leader said he would take a membership at his gym.
Rahul said Deepak was an example of unity, brotherhood and courage, which India has always stood for. “One that will inspire every young person in the country to muster the courage to fight against injustice and hatred,” Congress said in a post on X.
“Rahul Gandhi ji had called me here today. He spoke to my wife and family, and assured me that what I did was good and that I should not have any fear. He also said that he would travel to Kotdwar and take a membership in my gym. It will be a matter of great happiness for me if he comes to my gym,” Deepak said, after meeting the Congress leader.
“Today, the situation (in Kotdwar) is better than before. Rahul ji made me meet Sonia ji as well. I have nothing to do with politics. It is good to know that someone understands that I raised my voice for humanity,” he said.
Earlier, the Congress MP had posted on X about the incident, describing the 42-year-old gym trainer as a hero of India. “We need more Deepaks – those who don’t bend, don’t fear and who stand with full strength with the constitution.”
On January 28, Bajrang Dal workers gathered outside the shop of 70-year-old Vakil Ahmed, demanding he change the name of his establishment from “Baba” to something else, claiming it was similar to that of a local deity.
The elderly man tried to reason with the right-wing members, but their voices rose with every passing minute. Deepak Kumar and his friends stepped in, confronting the Hindutva activists and standing up to the hate that has long been seeded in India’s public consciousness.
Deepak did not show fear and stood up to the Bajrang Dal members. “Are Muslims not citizens of India?” he is heard asking in the video.
He identified himself as “Mohammed Deepak,” gaining a reputation as a “true Hindu” and “true Indian.”
A Hindu standing up for a Muslim was a pill hard to digest for those who claim to be protectors of ‘Hindu Sanatan Dharma’ and scream ‘Akhand Bharath.’
Deepak started getting threats from Bajrang Dal, some of whom came to his house shouting religious slogans, leading to the police having to intervene.
Deepak’s gym, his only source of income, which once had 150 members, dwindled to 15.
Things started to turn ugly when Utkarsh Kumar Singh from Bihar issued a bounty of Rs 2 lakh to anyone who killed Mohammed Deepak.
“Mohammed Deepak ko jo marega, aur usko Hindu Dharm me wapas Sanatan Dharm ke bareme batayega, usko hum do laakh rupay dene ka kaam karenge (Whoever kills Muhammad Deepak and brings him back to Hinduism and tells him about Sanatan Dharma, I will give him Rs 2 lakh).”
He was soon arrested and later confessed he had posted the message merely to increase his follower count.
But Deepak did not bow; he refused vehemently. In a selfie video, he declared that he belonged to no religion and his act was guided by the most basic principle of humanity: to be kind, to be a good human being. “We fought for humanity and came forward. They were telling me that they won’t let the atmosphere get spoiled, but it has gotten very spoiled,” he said.
