'Stood firm against hate, no greater patriotism than this': Rahul Gandhi hails 'Mohammad Deepak'

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hailed a gym owner from Uttarakhand, who shot into the limelight as "Mohammad Deepak" for taking on Bajrang Dal activists allegedly harassing a Muslim shopkeeper, saying he stood firm against hate to protect the weak and there is no greater patriotism than this.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha made the remarks in a social media post as he put out the video of his recent meeting with gym owner Deepak Kumar and his friend Vijay Rawat.

"The ideology of harmony and love resides in the hearts of millions of Indians, but there is also fear in their minds -- Deepak has shown the path to all of them with his courage. Those who try to spread hate and intimidate society are, in truth, cowards -- never fear them," Gandhi said in his post in Hindi on X.

"Deepak has defended our tricolor and our Constitution. He stood firm against hate, protected the weak -- There is no greater patriotism than this," Gandhi said.

In the video, Kumar is seen narrating the incident in which he had to intervene to protect a Muslim shopkeeper. Kumar says when people gathered outside his house a few days after the incident, police did not do much to disperse the mob and instead took him to the police station to ensure that the situation does not goes out of control.

Gandhi also spoke to Kumar's wife and told her that there was no need to be afraid as those opposing her husband are cowards. Gandhi also promised to come and visit him in Kotdwar.

Kumar told Gandhi that he was not afraid of anyone apart from God.

Gandhi told Kumar that there was no bigger patriotic act than what he had done and he had protected the Constitution and the tricolour.

On Monday, Gandhi met Kumar who was accompanied by his friend Rawat, Congress leader Vaibhav Walia, among others, at the 10, Janpath residence of Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Kumar had also met Sonia Gandhi.

"Every human being is equal. This is Indianness, this is 'mohabbat ki dukaan'. Meeting with brother Mohammad Deepak from Uttarakhand - This same flame of unity and courage should burn in every Indian youth," Gandhi had said in a Facebook post after the meeting.

On January 26, Bajrang Dal activists protested outside the 'Baba' clothing store on Patel Marg in Kotdwar to pressure its 70-year-old owner, Vakil Ahmed, to change the name of the shop.

During the protest, clashes broke out between the activists, shop owner Vakil Ahmed and his son's friend Deepak Kumar, after which Kumar, identifying himself as 'Mohammad Deepak', forced the protesters to retreat.

On January 31, a larger group of activists again gathered outside Ahmed's shop and Kumar's gym, blocked the road and shouted slogans. However, police intervention prevented escalation. Three separate FIRs have been filed in connection with the incidents.

Kumar, the 42-year-old owner of The 'Hulk' gym in Uttarakhand's Kotdwara, had earlier said his business has collapsed since he confronted Bajrang Dal activists.

He had said the ongoing tension has made his livelihood a casualty of the dispute.

Following the incident, Gandhi had expressed support for Kumar and alleged that the Sangh Parivar is deliberately poisoning the economy and the society to keep India divided.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha had said that Kumar is a hero of India as he is fighting for the Constitution and humanity.