The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha also accused the BJP and the broader Sangh Parivar of deliberately poisoning the country’s economy and society to keep the nation divided.
NEW DELHI – Deepak Kumar, the youth who courageously stood up to a Hindutva mob threatening an elderly Muslim shopkeeper in Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand, has come in for effusive praise from the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
Deepak Kumar and his friend Vijay Rawat recently warded off an attack by Bajrang Dal workers on the 70-year-old Muslim shopkeeper, Vakeel Ahmed. The right-wingers demanded Ahmed drop the word ‘baba’ from the name of his shop, ‘Baba School Dress’. The word is usually used for old or religious men, and the men bullying Ahmed insisted this could only be used for Hindu religious men.
Rahul praised Deepak as a true hero of India for courageously standing up to the mob. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) in Hindi, Gandhi described Deepak as a living symbol of a “mohabbat ki dukaan” (shop of love) amid a “marketplace of hate.” He said this act of humanity and constitutional defence is precisely what angers those in power the most.
The senior Congress leader also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the broader Sangh Parivar of deliberately poisoning the country’s economy and society to keep the nation divided, allowing a few to rule through fear.
Alleging that the BJP government in Uttarakhand is openly siding with anti-social elements who intimidate and harass ordinary citizens every day, he said the saffron brigade is conspiring to trample upon the Constitution.
“No country can move forward in an atmosphere of hatred, fear and anarchy,” Gandhi wrote. He stressed that without peace, development remains an empty slogan.
Calling for more people like Deepak—those who refuse to bow down, who stand fearlessly with the Constitution—Gandhi extended solidarity: “We are with you, brother. Do not be afraid. You are a lion-hearted warrior.” He shared a photograph of Deepak to highlight his bravery.
Media reports indicate that the incident has escalated: days after Deepak intervened to protect the elderly shopkeeper, a Hindutva group of over 100 people gathered in Kotdwar on Saturday to raise slogans against him, underscoring the ongoing tensions. The mob hurled choicest slurs at Deepak and his family members.
The turn of events stems from Deepak’s confrontation with Hindutva group members, during which he said, “My name is Mohammad Deepak!” — a proclamation meant to fuse his Hindu identity with that of fellow Muslims to convey his idea of India, he later said.
The endorsement by the Congress leader frames the episode as a broader battle between constitutional values and forces promoting division and fear, urging Indians to emulate Deepak’s stand for humanity and unity.
