Homeless man attacked by “cow protectors” in Rajasthan

A video that went viral has reignited the spotlight on the violence of Hindu nationalists who, in the name of protecting “sacred animals”, actually target people from marginalised communities. This highlights the contradiction of a country like India, which is one of the world's largest exporters of beef.

Jaipur (AsiaNews) - A homeless man with mental disabilities was brutally attacked in Jhalawar, Rajasthan, by “cow protectors” belonging to the Hindu fundamentalist movements Bajrang Dal and VHP. The victim, a middle-aged man with mental disabilities, was brutally assaulted on 1 January in the village of Kishanpura, in the district of Jhalawar, on charges of killing a cow and eating its meat in public.

Aklera police inspector Dharamram said the victim suffered from mental illness and was found sitting near the remains of a dead cow. He was a vagrant and left the scene after the attack. Although the police have not yet been able to track her down, Dharamram reported that the attackers have been identified as Rakesh, Rohan and Ajay and have been arrested.

Videos of the incident have gone viral on social media. In one of them, the victim can be seen sitting on the ground near a pile of rubbish, next to what appear to be cattle remains. As some people question him, one forces him to say, ‘The cow is our mother.’

The ‘cow protectors’ regularly stop and search vehicles and, if they find meat or cattle, beat up the driver and his passengers. This is a growing threat across India, where self-proclaimed “Gau Rakshaks” attack and lynch people - particularly those from marginalised communities, Muslims and Dalits - under the pretext of protecting cows.

In traditional Indian mainstream culture, the cow occupies a special status, symbolising ideals of non-violence and motherhood. Traditionally, protecting cows is considered an act of reverence and a spiritual duty.

Data from human rights organisations show that most of these incidents occur mainly in states with strict cow protection laws, in rural and semi-urban areas, where traditional beliefs are particularly entrenched and vigilante groups can operate with minimal oversight.

What makes these actions even more grotesque is the profound contradiction with the fact that India is one of the world's largest meat exporters, thanks to the subtle distinction between cow meat (prohibited) and buffalo meat (permitted). Jawhar Sircar, a former member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, and a former Indian Administrative Service officer, has criticised the alleged hypocrisy of the government and the so-called “cow protectors”, pointing out that while poor people from minority communities are being attacked, the country, even under the current administration, continues to trade in beef.

Sircar and other observers have also pointed out that India's largest meat exporters (Al-Kabeer Exports Pvt. Arabian Exports Pvt Ltd and M.K.R Khan Frozen Food Exports Pvt. Ltd., for example) are owned by members of the Hindu community, some of whom are also supporters of the BJP, the ruling Hindu nationalist party.