Mr. Kumar had identified himself as ‘Mohammad’ Deepak to the men who had pressured the garment seller to change the name of his shop on Republic Day (January 26, 2026). The meeting took place at 10, Janpath — the residence of Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi — in the national capital. Mr. Kumar was accompanied by his friend Vijay Rawat who supported him during the confrontation. Also Read | Two men who opposed harassment of Muslim shopkeeper booked in UttarakhandEarlier, Mr. Gandhi had expressed support to Mr. Kumar. “I am getting immense love from you people... Let me know what do you think about our plan,” Mr. Kumar said in the video.

Source: The Hindu February 23, 2026 12:05 UTC