Organised Protest by Hindus Against ‘Mohammad Deepak’ for Supporting Muslim Shopkeeper

Hindutva Groups Had Earlier Objected to Muslim Shopkeeper Naming His Store ‘Baba Garments’

Kotdwar (Uttarakhand) — Hindutva organisations had strongly opposed a Muslim shopkeeper named Vakil Ahmed after he named his store ‘Baba Garments’. Their stance was that a Muslim shopkeeper should not use the name ‘Baba’. The controversy arose because Kotdwar is home to the Siddhbali Hanuman Temple, also referred to as ‘Siddhbali Baba’.

During the dispute, a Hindu man named Deepak Kumar supported Vakil Ahmed, introducing himself as ‘Mohammad Deepak’. He publicly opposed the Hindutva groups, which led to organised protests against him as well.

Deepak Kumar owns a gym, and following the incident, a section of Hindus reportedly imposed a collective boycott against him. Of the 150 members who were enrolled at his gym, many cancelled their memberships, reducing attendance to around 15.

Media Critical of Hindutva Groups Portray Deepak Kumar as a Victim !

Some media outlets are now being accused of attempting to create an atmosphere against Hindus over the incident. Reports state that Deepak was running his family through income from the gym and is now paying the price for supporting the Muslim shopkeeper. A few days ago, Hindutva activists also staged a protest outside his gym.

Deepak Kumar, who owns ‘Hulk Gym’ located on Badrinath Road in Kotdwar, is said to be facing financial difficulties. With the number of members dropping from 150 to 15, his challenges have reportedly increased. In a video message, Deepak stated that the monthly rent of the gym is ₹40,000, and the EMI on his home loan is ₹16,000.

Editorial Perspective

• It would not be surprising if Hindus also boycott such media outlets !

• In the absence of education on Dharma, many Hindus fall prey to the hollow narrative of “secularism” and this is one such example !