Political Diary
New
Delhi, 17 September 2019
Cow
Politics Back
MILKING POLL BENEFIT
By Poonam I Kaushish
Gau mata
politics
is once again back with a bang. “Some people, the moment the words gai and Om fall on their ears, their
hair stands on end….. They think the country has gone back
to the 16th and 17th centuries ……It is people with such views who leave no
stone unturned to destroy the country, ” asserted Modi at the launch of the National Animal Disease Control
Programme in Mathura last
week. Predictably, the Opposition rushed in to milk the political fallout accusing
the Prime Minister of turning a blind eye to people being killed in the name of
the bovine. Either way, the Holy cow has becomes a hot potato!
Certainly,
this was music to the ears of our Hindutva Brigade who perceived it as NaMo
being in sync with their thinking. Of using it as a potent symbol of threat to the
Hindus from minorities communal bashing, pushing cow protection and cow rights
legislation along-with banning its slaughter, religious sacrifice or eating
beef as an integral part of its cultural and religious agenda.
However,
it seems Modispeak on Gau mata is not
so much about the fate of the holy cow as it is about cynical political competitive
politics. Having re-discovered the cow’s brand equity as a good vote-catcher among
the majority community, the BJP has adroitly woven the bovine into its
development tapestry which brought it power at the Centre and in 19 States.
Today, it enjoys pride of place in its long-term strategy and is included in its
poll manifesto in various States.
Ably
sponsored and pushed by Saffron-robed Ministers, netas and swamis who have
upped the ante by making it the cause
célèbre for their and the Party’s ambitious needs, a panacea to consolidate
majority votes and milk it in the race for power in the forthcoming elections
in three States Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand.
Ranging
from protecting the bovine, setting up the Rashtriya
Kamdhenu Aayog for “genetic upgrading of cow resources, conservation,
protection and development of cows and their progeny, promoting a cow tourism circuit
which will pass through places that breed indigenous cows, a Ministry dedicated
to cow protection, setting up a gaushala
in every panchayat, cow sanctuary and
imposing a 20% cow cess on liquor etc.
More.
The idea of the cow has crowded out all else. Wherein cow-centredness ---
politics, society, morality, science, economics, livelihoods and the lack of
them are all focused on the revered bovine. Four examples: BJP-ruled UP has
budgeted Rs 600 crores for protection and welfare of cattle and cow shelters,
has started an ambulance service for cows and a Rs 750 crore Rashtriya Gokul Mission.
The
Uttarakhand Law Commission has recommended changes in the state’s Protection of
Cow Progeny Act 2007 to declare cow as ‘rashtra
mata’ and setting up veterinary centres for stray bovines. In Haryana, any
person abandoning his/her cattle may be slapped with a hefty fine. Maharashtra
has set up a Gau Seva Aayog as part of a new initiative to protect cattle
seized by the police and initiate legal action.
Pertinently,
the Congress too has jumped on the bandwagon and is trying to reposition itself
to match the BJP’s Hindutva cow plank for future electoral battles. Over the
past few weeks, the Party has been systematically espousing concerns for Gau mata. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister
Kamal Nath said he could not see the bovine suffer on the streets and vowed to
set up 1000 shelters. His Rajasthan counterpart Gehlot plans to seize vehicles
transporting illegal cows and honouring those who adopt them.
In fact, various other
Opposition-ruled States too have jumped on the protect-the-cow bandwagon and
are extending the Cow Slaughter Ban Act to bulls and bullocks, notwithstanding
this has evoked criticism. Some have taken off beef from the menu as trucks
carrying cattle continue to be attacked by rightwing activists. In Delhi the
AAP Government is building advanced cow shelters which will be clubbed with
old-age cow homes.
Disconcertingly, the gau rakshaks have taken Modispeak as a
cue to continue minority bashing under the garb of cow protection, whereby, any
action taken to protect the cow is justified, even if it means taking the law
into their hands. The last few years stand testimony to horrific lynching and
killing in UP’s Bulandshahr and Dadri,
Haryana’s Ballabhgarh and Gujarat’s Una etc. The charges? Beef eating, killing
a cow, carrying beef etc.
While
patronage and ideological indoctrination is one
reason for the spiral of vicious violence, the vigilantes get away with
murder as leaders look the other way and justify any action taken to protect
the cow, even if it means taking the law into their hands resulting in the Government
reaping political capital by inciting communal passions. A win-win situation
for both.
Notably, cow
protection has been a live political issue for long in the country and hotly
debated. Even the founding father had
debated the issue at length. 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”.
Gau raksha 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 Sabha between
1985 and 2006. In 1979 the Janata Dal 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.
Certainly,
the Gau mata is sacred to Hindus and
is revered as Kamdhenu and Matrika. Every bit of the cow is
useful. It helps sustain rural economy, gives milk and 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.
Consequently,
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, several kill, ban or no ban and not a few require a
“fit for slaughter” certificate.
In
the final analysis , people are now conscious of the fact that religion should
not be mixed with politics In our political quicksand our leaders underscore
once again there is no ‘sacred cow’ when it comes to garnering votes whereby it
suddenly transformers into a political Kamdhenu.
Clearly, they must desist from reducing the sacred bovine to a religious plank,
political ping-pong, poll gimmick and profitable business in the quest for
power, Mr Prime Minister. ----- INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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