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New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday came out strongly in support of Mohammed Deepak, the Kotdwar resident who intervened to stop the alleged harassment of a Muslim shopkeeper by Hindutva workers in Uttarakhand.

In a sharply worded post on X, Gandhi described Deepak as “a hero of India” and praised him for standing up for constitutional values and humanity. “Deepak is fighting for the Constitution and humanity – for that Constitution which the BJP and the Sangh Parivar are conspiring every day to trample underfoot,” Gandhi wrote, accusing the Modi government of nurturing hate and fear to maintain power.

उत्तराखंड के दीपक भारत के हीरो हैं।

दीपक संविधान और इंसानियत के लिए लड़ रहे हैं – उस संविधान के लिए जिसे BJP और संघ परिवार रोज़ रौंदने की साज़िश कर रहे हैं।

वे नफ़रत के बाज़ार में मोहब्बत की दुकान का जीवित प्रतीक हैं और यही बात सत्ता को सबसे ज़्यादा चुभती है।

संघ परिवार… pic.twitter.com/c1D4VHV5XO

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 1, 2026

Background to the Kotdwar incident

The controversy erupted after a group of Hindutva workers allegedly confronted an elderly Muslim shopkeeper in Kotdwar, demanding that he change the name of his store, “Baba Shop,” claiming it was misleading. Videos that later surfaced online showed the men pressuring the shop owner to either remove the word “Baba” or justify using it.

Locals intervened during the confrontation, with Mohammed Deepak firmly challenging the group’s authority to dictate the shop’s name. His response — “My name is Mohammed Deepak. What do you have to do with my name?” — quickly went viral.

Rahul Gandhi’s message of solidarity

Gandhi said Deepak symbolised “a shop of love in the marketplace of hate,” adding that such acts of courage unsettled those in power the most. “The Sangh Parivar is deliberately poisoning the country’s economy and society, so that India remains divided and a few people continue to rule on the crutches of fear,” he said.

Criticising the Uttarakhand government, Gandhi alleged that the BJP was “openly siding with those anti-social forces that are engaged in intimidating and harassing ordinary citizens.” He warned that development could not take place in an environment marked by hatred and intimidation. “Without peace, development is just an empty slogan,” he added.

He urged citizens to draw inspiration from Deepak’s stand. “We need more Deepaks – those who do not bow, who do not fear, and who stand firmly with the Constitution with all their might,” he wrote, adding, “We are with you, brother. Don’t be afraid. You are a lion-hearted warrior.”