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For the past three decades, the cow has emerged as a significant emotive issue in Indian politics, often portrayed as a sacred animal. For many, she holds the status of a mother, and Hindu nationalist politics has effectively leveraged this sentiment to polarize society. Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Savarkar introduced the concept of Hindutva as embodying the essence of "Hinduness" beyond merely the Hindu religion.
This concept became foundational for the RSS, which has been tirelessly pursuing the establishment of a Hindu nation for nearly a century. The last thirty years have been particularly advantageous for RSS politics, as the organization’s emotive issues dominate the national political landscape. This issue recently resurfaced in October 2024.
The Maharashtra ruling coalition, led by the BJP, declared the indigenous cow breed, commonly referred to as Desi Gay, as Rajyamata-Gomata (state mother-cow mother). This move appears strategically timed ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra elections, where the BJP is perceived to be at a disadvantage following poor results in previous parliamentary elections.
Consequently, they have turned to controversial tactics that deepen societal divisions. Simultaneously, a Karnataka minister made headlines by asserting that Savarkar, a key figure in Hindu nationalist ideology, was not inherently opposed to cow slaughter and did not regard the cow as sacred, viewing her instead as a useful animal.
At a Gandhi Jayanti event in Bengaluru, Dinesh Gundu Rao claimed, “Savarkar was not only a meat-eater who consumed beef but also advocated for it publicly.” Minister Gundu Rao emphasized that despite being a Brahmin, Savarkar did not follow traditional dietary customs and embraced a modernist approach. He stated, “Savarkar was a Brahmin, but he ate beef and was a non-vegetarian. He did not oppose cow slaughter; in fact, he was quite progressive on that topic.”
It is well-documented that Savarkar consumed meat. During one notable visit from Gandhi to Savarkar in London—while Gandhi sought support for his South African endeavors—Savarkar prepared a dinner of fried prawns, which Gandhi, adhering to vegetarianism, declined. Savarkar also expressed that cows should not be worshipped.
According to author Vaibhav Purandare, “Savarkar believed that the cow is merely a bullock’s mother. While there is no concrete evidence of him eating cow, he was not opposed to eating beef.” Purandare elaborated during the Bangalore Literature Festival that Savarkar’s stance on cow protection was complex; he objected to killing cows out of malice towards Hindus but considered it acceptable if done simply for consumption.
The question of the cow’s sanctity has been explored extensively, particularly regarding the practice of cow sacrifice during the Vedic period. Swami Vivekananda, in his writings, pointed out that cow sacrifices were part of sacred rituals, suggesting that consuming beef was not taboo. He stated, “You would be surprised to learn that, according to old customs, a good Hindu is one who eats beef. On certain occasions, he must sacrifice a bull and partake of it.”
Ambedkar's studies mirror these findings, with historian D. N. Jha highlighting that the cow was once considered food, alluding to the historical tensions between Buddhism and Brahmanism that contributed to the notion of the cow as a mother figure. This shift contributed to a Brahmin resurgence and the eventual decline of Buddhism in India.
During the independence movement, communal politics saw the cow and pig become symbols used to incite conflict, with acts designed to provoke violence between communities, such as throwing beef in temples. The ongoing cow slaughter debates have led to tragic consequences, with incidents of lynching motivated by cow-related issues further igniting fear within the Muslim community.
Harsh Mander, a noted humanitarian, initiated Caravan-a-Mohabbat to support families affected by such violence. Muslim communities face the brunt of this targeting, while beef consumers in northeastern states, Kerala, and Goa remain largely unaffected. Interestingly, the Maharashtra government has adeptly designated only indigenous cows as Rajyamata, differentiating them from others.
As India’s beef exports increase, it is also worth noting that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, during a meal in America, responded with humor when reminded of his beef consumption, asserting it was not an Indian cow, and thus posed no real issue.
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*Political commentator
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