Kotdwar, Feb. 6 -- Days after 'Mohammed Deepak' in Uttarakhand was hailed as a hero for standing up for a Muslim shopkeeper who was being pressured by Bajrang Dal members to remove 'baba' from his shop name, the elderly shopowner came forward to show his support in appreciation of Deepak.

Deepak Kumar and the shopowner, Mohammed Shoaib, sat together to give an interview to reporters from Kotdwar.

Recounting his experience with shaking hands, Shoaib said, "Jo help kari hai bete ne hamare, Deepak ji ne, woh mazhab hai, matlab asli mazhab woh hai. Use dekh kar araam hua. Kyunki itni bidh mein koi bola nahi, sirf Deepak bhai aaye. Woh mujhe chahta hai ye pita samjha, joh bhi ho, woh aaya."

(The help that Deepak ji did for us, that is real ...