India needs the likes of Mohammad Deepak to contain growing anti-Muslim violence
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By Syed Ali Mujtaba, Edited By Adam Rizvi, The India Observer (TIO): It’s no secret that there exists a large group of Hindu militants that is aided, abetted, and protected by the Sangh Parivar, who have been given the task to hurt the Indian Muslims in some way or another. The pretexts to commit violence against the Muslims are numerous; in the name of cow vigilante, love jihad, ‘domescide’, besides the Hindu- Muslim communal riots.
This anti-Muslim project is a well-crafted state policy that has been in vogue since independence, but has come up more aggressively since 2014, when the secular mask of India was thrown in the dustbin, and the noise of a Hindu Rashtra has acquired a feverish pitch.
The anti-Muslim elements who are paid mercenaries of those in power are acting like freebooters, as if they have a license to kill Muslims. Since such anti-social elements are making life hell for Muslims and they are living in an insecure environment, unable to firm up any response to the challenges posed by the perpetrators of violence against them.
Indian Muslims are wondering how to respond to such a situation where the state and judiciary have joined hands to build a net of insecurity against them.
The silver lining in such a black cloud over the Muslims has emerged when a Hindu man, Deepak Kumar a.k.a Mohammad Deepak, a gym owner in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand, single-handedly chased away a mob of Brjrang Dal members who had come to attack an elderly Muslim shopkeeper on Jan 26, 2026, with the purpose to lynch him.
Report Card – Violence against Muslims in 2025
The victim, 70-year-old Vakeel Ahmed, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, faced a large crowd of Hindus that objected to the name of his shop, “Baba.” The Bajrang Dal militants emphasized that “Baba” is a Hindu name and the deity in the nearby temple is named “Baba.” Therefore, this name is reserved for the Hindus only and must be changed because this is a case of their faith (astha).
Vakeel Ahmed may have surely been killed that day, but for Deepak Kumar, whose gym was just above the ‘Baba’ shop. Hearing the noise, Deepak came out in the open and single-handedly combated a strong crowd and chased them away, thus saving the life of an old Muslim man.
The incident has become a major talking point in India, and Deepak’s act has made him overnight famous. When Deepak was questioned by the media about why he came out to rescue a Muslim man, he said, “My name is ‘Mohammad Deepak, ‘ and I am not a ‘Nafrati Chintu.’ I firmly stand for the idea of ‘unity in diversity and equality of all citizens irrespective of their religion, caste, or creed.’
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This singular act of Muhammad Deepak has earned him national admiration, but it came with strings attached. He faced severe backlash from the Hindu community, including threats to his life and a boycott of his business. The membership of his gym dropped from 125 to 25, but Deepak remained unfazed and stood his ground, saying he did what his moral conscience said was right.
Deepak, who stood in solidarity with a helpless victim, has rekindled the hope of the revival of secularism in India. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Deepak’s gym and showed his solidarity by taking the membership of his gym. So did some 15 Senior Advocates of the Supreme Court who also joined Deepak’s gym.
Another example is of Imam Gazali, a local leader from Shiekhpura, who went all the way from Bihar to Kotdwar to present a Shawal to Mohammad Deepak Kumar.
The story of Mohammad Deepak suggests that the soul of India is not yet dead. The mercenaries of Hindutva may have killed thousands of Muslims in India. Still, they have not yet killed people like Deepak Kumar, who are the custodians of the plural society of India.
A Roundup of Muslims’ Condition in Tamil Nadu in 2025/2026
The inspiration that the story that Mohammad Deepak gives is that the invincibility of the Hindutva elements is a myth, and they stand on quicksand, which can be blown away by those who long for the composite culture of India.
Also Read more from this Author: Syed Ali Mujtaba invited to discuss ‘Safeguarding Children in India’s AI Future.’
Curated by Humra Kidwai
