Political Diary

New Delhi, 4 April,2017

Relishing Religion in Poll Dish 

SACRED COW OR POLITICAL KAMDHENU

By Poonam Kaushish

“Gau mata” is once again being relished by our Hindutva brigade whereby protection of the holy cow has become de rigueur in nearly 20 States. The latest to rediscover its brand equity as a vote-catcher is Gujarat which has amended the Animal Preservation Act enhancing punishment for cow slaughter from the present seven-year jail term to life imprisonment. It includes a fine of up to Rs one lakh and permanent confiscation of the vehicle used for transportation. No matter, if it becomes a hot potato with the Opposition bellowing democracy and secularism is in danger!

Clearly, buoyed by its landslide victory in UP part of which is attributed to its promise of banning illegal slaughterhouses and with Gujarat going to the polls in November, the Saffron Sangh sees Gau mata as a panacea to consolidate majority votes in the State riven by the recent Patidar quota agitation. It’s another matter that over 1000 cases are registered every year in the State but the long-drawn legal process has reduced it to mere lip service with not a single conviction.

Would it end cow slaughter? I have my doubts. Now it would be done surreptitiously which is worse, as laws imposing the religious practice of the majority on the minority would be broken by the latter and lead to a law and order problem and violence.

Remember how four Dalit men were flogged in Gujarat’s Una town for allegedly killing a cow they were skinning and forced to eat cow dung last August. Or when a Muslim was lynched to death following a rumour that his family had eaten and stored beef in their refrigerator in UP’s Dadri district.

Undeniably, cow care and its protection have often dominated politics owing to patronage from the BJP, which relies on Hindu votes. Thus, over the years, it has pushed cow protection as an integral part of its political agenda by including it in their manifesto to appease the majority community.

Disconcertingly, the gau rakshaks have taken the cue from their political mai-baap BJP which is the driving force behind the spread and hardening of cow rights legislation across the country. Whereby, the cow lovers coo that the ban to protect the cow is justified and should be seen as a legal offense and not religious. Adding, it would be nice if the minorities respect the sentiments of the majority of Hindus who consider cow slaughter as a sin.

Those opposing the law argue that the State does not have a right to impose a certain food culture in any form on people given that beef costs less than half the price of lamb or chicken and is the preferred source of protein for the poor, who constitute a majority of the population. Consequently, the absence of beef would raise their food bill and banning it would deprive the poor of it.

Alongside according to animal husbandry experts it would lead to an increase in the proportion of unhealthy bovines in the total population of cows half of which need to be culled as they are extremely unhealthy and cannot be looked after. Thereby, putting unnecessary burden on the poor farmers.

Furthermore, a ban makes India open to criticism of becoming a theocratic state. They cite Gandhi who was against a ban on cow slaughter. Said he, “I do not doubt that Hindus are forbidden the slaughter of cows. I have been long pledged to serve the cow. But how can my religion also be the religion of the rest of the Indians? It will mean coercion against those Indians who are not Hindus. India belongs to all who live here.”

There is no gainsaying that cow protection has been a live political issue for long in the country. Even the founding father had debated the issue at length. Said Ambedkar: “Islamic law does not insist upon the slaughter of the cow for sacrificial purposes and no Musalman when goes to Haj sacrifices the cow in Mecca or Medina.”

Article 48 reads: “The State shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds and prohibiting the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle”.

In fact, cow protection was included as a Directive Principle of State policy. However, the Directive Principle does not provide for a total nationwide legislative ban on cow slaughter, which the Hindu fundamentalists have been demanding for long. Several agitations have taken place since 1966 when Parliament was sought to be gheraoed, resulting in police firing and deaths.

As many as ten Private Member’s Bills have been tabled in the Lok between 1985 and 2006. In 1979 the Janata Government tabled an official Bill and Indira Gandhi wrote to States to enforce a ban. Two National Commissions studied the issue. But there is no Central Act.

True, the cow is sacred to Hindus and is revered as Matrika. Every bit of the cow is useful. Even its urine has miraculous medicinal value. Therefore, it has a central place in religious rituals as well as free rein to roam in streets. Over the years, a majority of States have passed controversial slaughter laws which make killing local cows illegal.

Of course, no neta wants to get his teeth into an individual’s food preferences but it doesn’t stop them talking a lot of bull and relishing naked cow-trading. Thus, we have a wacky hodgepodge of cattle laws according to leaders’ political appetite. While some States have banned cow slaughter, others allow killing of old or sick cattle, several kill, ban or no ban and not a few require a “fit for slaughter” certificate.

The BJP continues to play its Hindutva card wrapped in development that brought it power at the Centre and in several States. In Maharashtra, its Government has extended the Cow Slaughter Ban Act to bulls and bullocks, which has evoked criticism. In Kerala beef was taken off the menu as trucks carrying cattle were attacked by rightwing activists.

Either which way, this doublespeak about revering your cow and eating beef too is not about the fate of the holy cow but accentuates a cynical food-fight which sells and how! Saffron-robed Ministers, netas, swamis and mullahs recklessly play the communal card. Politicising Hinduism to tailor to their ambitious needs and electoral gains where one man’s opium is another man’s poison.

A ban on the slaughter, eating and serving of certain types of animals and their meat is not uncommon across the globe. All Muslim-ruled countries have banned pork which, incidentally, is a lot more popular in India’s north-east than beef.

Contrary to popular belief, beef is not so popular in Pakistan. Only the poor or very poor eat cow’s meat called “burra gosht”, which is cheaper. Importantly, no one in the Arab world has starved because of a ban on the eating of pork. 

In sum in our political quicksand the gau rashaks vs the cow slayers underscore once again there is no sacred cow when it comes to garnering votes and settling political scores. Whereby, the revered bovine suddenly transformers into a political Kamdhenu. All forgetting that everyone, not just the cow drum beaters and beef-eaters have a st(e)ake in India! ----INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)