In the Name of the Holy Cow!

Abstract

India's constitutional ethos establishes itself to be a secular country, believing in every citizen's right to follow their own religious beliefs. However, in the recent past, the evolution of Hindu nationalistic politics of hate, coupled with a monolithic and myopic viewpoint of construing the nation as a Hindu entity, has fanned the growth of fundamentalistic ideals of cow worship and cow protection. This has significantly led to the rise of non-state actors who employ any or all means possible of strong-arming minorities and the vulnerable sections of society in the name of cow protection. Thus, through this chapter, the author shall at the first instance argue the reasons for the rise of cow-vigilantism in India, situating it in a historical and socio-political context. The author's second argument would be to demonstrate how cow vigilantism has elevated to the status of organised crime in India. Finally, the author shall conclude with arguments suggesting ways to put an end to such heinous incidents of vigilantism and forge a way forward.