To ‘fight rising hatred’, ‘Mohammed’ Deepak and his friend to launch nationwide ‘Insaniyat Jodo Yatra’

DEHRADUN: Kotdwar-based gym owner Deepak Kumar, or "Mohammad Deepak", as he has come to be known, and his friend Vijay Rawat have announced that they will jointly undertake an ‘Insaniyat Jodo Yatra' (Unite Humanity March) to spread the message of love and brotherhood against what they describe as rising hatred in the country. The duo recently came into the spotlight for confronting Bajrang Dal members who were allegedly harassing an elderly Muslim shopkeeper in Kotdwar over the use of ‘Baba'—what the right-wing group members said was a Hindu term in his shop name."Instead of talking about important issues like development, education and unemployment, people are increasingly indulging in communal matters, which are destroying harmony and brotherhood in the country. During our yatra, we will travel across the country, meet people, and urge them to stay united and fight hatred," Kumar told TOI. He said the yatra would have no political affiliation. "However, we will welcome anyone who wants to join us, irrespective of religion, caste, creed or political allegiance. It will be about coming together for the betterment of the country," he added.The duo said they had begun preparations and were inviting public suggestions. "We uploaded a video on social media on Friday and have received encouraging responses so far. We will soon finalise the route and funding details, and will most likely begin the yatra after the ongoing board exams and Ramadan," Rawat said. Both said they were aware of the risks involved. Rawat said they had earlier received threats from various organisations after supporting the shopkeeper but remained undeterred. "We were never afraid because we knew we had done nothing wrong. This initiative is for humanity and to promote brotherhood among all," he said.The two are facing charges under BNS sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insult likely to provoke breach of peace), and 191(1) (unlawful assembly), after Bajrang Dal member Kamal Pal filed a complaint alleging they assaulted members of the group during what he described as a public outreach event.The fallout from the incident initially affected Kumar's gym, with membership declining and threat calls pouring in. However, support soon followed, with several individuals, including some Supreme Court lawyers, purchasing memberships so Kumar could offer free access to others.Senior SC advocate Colin Gonsalves, who is the founder of the Human Rights Law Network, praised the duo's stand. "What Kumar did while confronting the Bajrang Dal members was courageous, considering the present situation in the country. It was a jolt for Hindutva forces, as a person from the majority community stood up and said enough is enough. We believe that after his act, more people will stand against hatred and ensure communal harmony in India," Gonsalves said.