“My name? my name Mohammad Deepak two!” A Hindu man stood with an old Muslim shopkeeper claiming to belong to the Bajrang Dal, a Hindutva organization in Uttarakhand’s Kotdwar town.
Deepak Kumar, 46, is a gym owner and bodybuilder in Kotdwar, Pauri Garehwal, Uttarakhand. (Photo: Insta/@deepakakkikumar)That was last week. The episode went viral online and at Deepak Kumar’s doorstep.
He now finds himself accused in one of three FIRs, while those threatening him also face police action.
The issue has gained national and political limelight with the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi congratulated Deepak For his bravery and defiance of communal elements.
Deepak says he used the prefix ‘Mohammed’ with his name in a moment of solidarity. “I am Wanted to show them We are all one,” he said.
More Read
It started when Bajrang Dal people demanded that the Muslim man change the name of his establishment, ‘Baba School Dress’. They said the name could “cause confusion” with Siddhabali Baba, a famous Hanuman temple in Kotdwar, police said.
Deepak Kumar, 46, who runs a gym in the area, was at a friend’s shop when he saw Wakil Ahmed, a 70-year-old man sitting in the shop, threatening the crowd. According to the police, the name of the owner is Mohammad Shoaib.
A video has since gone viral showing Deepak Kumar facing a crowd and asking why others can use ‘baba’ but not Muslim men. “The store is 30 years old, will you change the name?” He is seen asking them.
When a man in the group asks him what his name is, Deepak Kumar replies, “My name is Mohammed Deepak.” Intended to blend his Hindu identity with fellow Muslims to express his perception of India, he later said in a video on Instagram.
The collision extended up the street, and then subsided for. Since then, Deepak has faced threats and groups have gathered at his doorstep raising communal slogans against him. In the presence of the police, he wanted to hold his ground and confront the men.
“I am not a Hindu, I am not a Muslim, I am not a Sikh, and I am not even a Christian. First and foremost, I am a human being. Because after my death, I have to answer to God and to humanity, not to any religion,” Deepak said in one of his videos.
Police have registered three cases, news agency PTI reported on Monday.
The first case is against 30-40 unidentified people who were involved in protests organized by the Bajrang Dal and other Hindutva organisations. The case is linked to chaos caused by protesters blocking roads, raising slogans and inciting communal tension, officials told news agency PTI.
A second case was registered based on a complaint filed by a local Wakil Ahmed (also spelled Wakil Ahmad Banan), who accused the protesters of using abusive and racist language, which caused public outrage. This man was present when the Bajrang team entered the shop.
More Read
The third case was filed against Deepak Kumar and his alleged accomplices, accused of using abusive language and threatening violence during the January 28 clash. The complaint in this FIR belongs to another resident of Kotdwar, Kamal Prasad, police said.
Deepak has already posted a video defending his position. “I just want to say this to all of you, our country needs love and affection, not hate. You can spread hate as much as you want; there’s no stopping it. But spreading love is much bigger,” he said in one such video.
On February 1, the police conducted a flag march in the city area to maintain security and peace.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, wrote on X: “Deepak from Uttarakhand is a hero of India. Deepak is fighting for the constitution and humanity — the very constitution that the BJP and the Sangh Parivar are conspiring to trample every day.”
Rahul Gandhi alleged that the BJP government in Uttarakhand is siding with anti-social forces who are spreading fear and harassing common citizens.
