Rahul met Deepak Akki Kumar, the gym owner from Kotdwar, Uttarakhand and put his weight behind what he framed as an assertion of equality and constitutional values. Met our brother 'Mohammad Deepak' from Uttarakhand, such a flame of unity and courage should burn in every young Indian." After the meeting, Kumar told reporters, "Rahul ji invited me. Calling for public backing for Kumar, Rahul wrote, “We need more Deepaks – who do not bow down, who do not fear, and who stand firmly with the Constitution. To counter calls for a boycott and show support, the MP visited the gym and took a one-year membership costing Rs 10,000.

Source: The Telegraph February 23, 2026 14:45 UTC