Kotdwar- In Kotdwar town of Pauri Garhwal district, Uttarakhand, a 30-year-old clothing shop named "Baba School Dress and Matching Centre" owned by elderly Muslim shopkeeper Mohammad Shoaib, aged around 70, became the center of a heated dispute.

On January 28, members of Bajrang Dal and other activists approached the shop owner, objecting to the word "Baba" in the name. They claimed it was linked to Hindu religious sentiments and demanded its removal, arguing a Muslim owner should not use it. The shop has operated peacefully for nearly three decades on Patel Marg.

This dispute between the shopkeeper and the organization members was not the first of its kind. There had been previous disagreements between the two parties over the shop's name. Some two and a half months ago, the shopkeeper, Shoaib, had assured the organization members that he would change the shop's name after relocating it.

Fifteen days ago, Shoaib moved his shop to a new location on Patel Marg, about 30-40 meters away from its original spot. Despite the relocation, protests over the shop's name have flared up again.

Local gym owner and fitness trainer Deepak Kumar, who was nearby at a friend's shop, intervened this time to support the shopkeeper. In a widely circulated video, Deepak confronted the group, questioning why others could use "Baba" but not this owner. When asked for his identity, he boldly declared: "Mera naam Mohammad Deepak hai", emphasizing humanity over religious divisions: "No Hindu-Muslim here , first, we are human beings."

His stand went viral on social media, portraying him as a symbol of courage, secularism, and constitutional values against alleged intimidation.

The situation intensified later as Bajrang Dal supporters and others protested against Deepak at his gym and near the shop, raising slogans and creating what Deepak described as a "riot-like situation." He claimed threats to his life and accused authorities of initially one-sided responses.

Following the protests, Kotdwar police registered three separate cases on Sunday. The first case was filed against 30-40 unidentified individuals under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for their involvement in the protests.

The second case was registered based on a complaint filed by local lawyer Ahmed. Ahmed alleged that the protesters used abusive and casteist language and disrupted public peace.

The third case was registered after a complaint from another Kotdwar resident, Kamal Prasad. Prasad alleged that gym owner Deepak Kumar and his associates used derogatory language and threatened violence during a confrontation on January 28.

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi weighed in powerfully via a post on X, turning the episode into a national political flashpoint.

He hailed Deepak as "a hero of India", writing, "Uttarakhand's Deepak is a hero of India. Deepak is fighting for the Constitution and humanity, the very Constitution that BJP and the Sangh Parivar conspire to trample daily. He is a living symbol of the shop of love in a market of hate, and that's what hurts those in power the most. The Sangh Parivar is deliberately poisoning the country economically and socially so that India remains divided and some can rule through fear. We need more Deepaks, who don't bow, don't fear, and stand fully with the Constitution. We are with you, brother. Don't be afraid. You are a Babbar Sher (brave lion/tiger)."