It probably started with the lynchings of persons suspected of raising cattle for cow slaughter and those transporting or storing restricted meat at home. The Vigilant had neither the time nor the patience to do his bit for the law. He himself played the roles of police, jury, judge and executioner. Unfortunately, these horrific events were perceived as random aberrations. The miscreants were not punished while encouraging others to join this bloody game under the guise of saving the religion and the nation. ,cow protector‘Suddenly emerged from the closet and replaced the traditional’cow servant,
Then, we were met by hordes of militant vegetarians who explicitly banned all forms of meat considered sacred by a Hindu majority or minorities like Jains. No meat-sales during paternal sideNavratri, the day associated with Hindu deities. The list of days when meat eaters should be deprived of meat, poultry and fish continues to grow. Governments at the center and state capitals failed to contain this menace. It is reasonable to conclude that politicians of a certain color were busy evaluating how this, like beef, could be exploited to polarize voters. There is a strong demand for a complete ban on pilgrimage sites or roadside goods. No one knows where intolerance will end. ‘One Nation, One Language, One Choice and One Sattvic Vegetarian Diet’ could work in a perfect fantasy world. But we live in a country that inherits a pluralistic tradition and has not only tolerated diversity but also celebrated it.
Vigilant people enjoying political patronage have created an atmosphere of fear by intimidating the shopkeepers of the minority community. Many shut down ‘voluntarily’ in order to avoid being caught at the hands of rogue bands of goons who claim to be the custodians of values cherished by the majority and as a deterrent to prevent anyone from ‘hurting Hindu sentiments’ He is adept at striking.
What is dangerously overlooked is that sentiments cannot be privileged over the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution. True, no right is absolute and can be restricted in public interest, but it can be done by following due process. What we are seeing is condoning gross violations of the rule of law by the government. Meat wars violate the right to life and livelihood of citizens. School children are denied eggs because some ignorant believe that they are different from our ‘swadeshi’ tradition. An explosive debate erupts over halal versus jhatka, when the flames appear to be extinguished, the fire breaks out.
Ignorance is not bliss. Data collected by various surveys including government surveys show that majority of Indians are not vegetarian. Hindus who worship Goddess Kali traditionally offer animal sacrifices to the deity, and consider meat Holy offerings– Blessed food. Not all Brahmins are vegetarian – in the Mithila region of Kashmir, Bengal, Assam, Odisha and Bihar, meat or fish has always been a part of the diet. The majority of Dalits, along with the tribal population, consume meat, including those who dare not speak their names. A large number of middle castes are carnivores. On the eastern and western seaboards, fish is the predominant. Among the ‘seven sisters’ of Northeast India and throughout South India and Goa, the list of ardent meat eaters is long.
What then explains the virus of vegetarian violence? It has nothing to do with Pakistan affairs. It is based on sheer opportunism and clever calculation that by waving this flag, they will become dear to those in power. A local rioter may enjoy police protection due to partisan political patronage. These can be extremely useful during Bahubali elections. The lines between legitimate fundraising and blackmailing became blurred a long time ago. However, the politics of food at the grassroots level has contributed the worst to the divisive politics.
It is easy to dismiss and condemn ‘left-liberals’ as willing or unwilling members of an international conspiracy to stifle, hinder and retard India’s economic growth and revival. It is equally easy to brand anyone who voices dissent about extremism cow protectors or vegetarian alerts the traitor or enemy of Hinduism. We are so scared that we grumble about majority and minority communities most of the time. We are told that identifying law breakers and miscreants as Hindus and Muslims can only worsen the situation. But no one stops senior ministers from raising provocative slogans amid communal riots: “The traitors of the country, shoot the saloon!” Hate speech is now inextricably linked with the politics of food. Those who eat only halal and wear caps are heretics, enemies of Hindus and descendants of foreign invaders. Well established facts of history Distorting and defaming Muslims (whose parents decided not to move to Pakistan during Partition) is par for the course. That ominous taunt – ‘Go to Pakistan’ – hangs in the air constantly. A youth praising a Pakistani cricketer’s performance does so at the risk of life or limb. Be warned! What is banned is not just specified meat – the prescriptions are no less in terms of dress and language.
The fact is that most Indians are not vegetarians. Brahmins also eat meat in many parts of India.
The self-styled godman—many wielding tridents and swordsmen—clad in ocher, has accepted the responsibility of interpreting Hinduism arbitrarily. this pressure group has organized itself into a parallel parliament, or Parliament of Religions, which flexes its muscles to intimidate elected representatives in the de facto parliament. Those who have to ‘contest’ elections cannot ignore these gatekeepers of the vote bank. Divisive wounds can be healed only when those in public office realize that the unity of the nation is inseparable from its radiant diversity. Calamity may still be averted if individuals respect the separation of powers and the glory of institutions that have served us well in the past.
Alas, the judiciary has let the citizens down on more than one occasion. The glimmer of hope that we can still stop the slide into the abyss is fast fading away.
Pushpesh Pant is an educator, anchor and author of India: The Cookbook, The Indian Vegetarian Cookbook and Gourmet Journey in India. thoughts are personal