Cow vigilante violence in India

Cow vigilante violence is a pattern of mob-based collective vigilante violence seen in India. The attacks are perpetuated by Hindu nationalists against non-Hindus (mostly Muslims) to protect cows, which are considered sacred in Hinduism.[1][2][3]

Since 2014, mob attacks have mostly targeted illegal cow smugglers, but in some cases even licensed cow traders, have become targets.[4][5] There is a debate on whether there has been any change in the number of such incidents, as government data points out to reduced communal tensions after 2014.[6][7] Cattle slaughter is banned in most states of India.[8] Recently emerged cow vigilante groups, claiming to be protecting cattle, have been violent leading to a number of deaths. Cow-protection groups see themselves as preventing cattle theft and smuggling,[9] protecting the cow or upholding the law in an Indian state which bans cow slaughter. According to a Reuters report, a total of 63 cow vigilante attacks had occurred in India between 2010 and mid 2017, most after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. In these attacks between 2010 and June 2017, "28 Indians – 24 of them Muslims – were killed and 124 injured", states the Reuter's report.[10] Research by Armed Conflict Location and Event Data concluded that cow vigilante action by Hindus was the primary reason for violence against Muslim civilians between June 2019 to March 2024.[11]

There has been a rise in the number of incidents of cow vigilantism since the election of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) majority in the Parliament of India in 2014. The frequency and severity of cow vigilante violence has been described as "unprecedented".[12] Human Rights Watch has reported that there has been a surge in cow vigilante violence since 2015.[13] The surge is attributed to the recent rise in Hindu nationalism in India.[12][14] Many vigilante groups say they feel "empowered" by the victory of the Hindu nationalist BJP in the 2014 election.[15][16] The Supreme Court of India in September 2017 ruled that each state should appoint a police officer in each district to take strict action against cow vigilantism. The court also expressed its concerns that animals were being illegally slaughtered such as the case of 200 slaughtered cattle found floating in a Bihar river.[17]

  1. ^ Mareš, M.; Bjørgo, T. (2019). "Vigilantism against migrants and minorities: Concepts and goals of current research". Vigilantism against Migrants and Minorities (PDF). Routledge. pp. 1–30. Such 'cow vigilantism' is the policing of behaviour by Hindu nationalists against non-Hindus (mostly Muslims) in the name of protecting cows, which they consider sacred in Hindu religion.
  2. ^ Chandra, R. (2018). "The Menacing Growth of Mob Lynching: A Study in Indian Legal Perspective" (PDF). Journal of Legal Studies and Research. 4 (4). The Law Brigade (Publishing) Group: 134–148.
  3. ^ Ramachandran, Sudha (7 July 2017). "Hindutva Terrorism in India: Cow vigilantism is pre-meditated, politically motivated". The Diplomat.
  4. ^ Kazmin, Amy (17 July 2017). "Indian PM distances himself from cow vigilante attacks". Financial Times. London. India's prime minister Narendra Modi has distanced himself from a spate of mob attacks in the name of "cow protection" that have mostly targeted Muslims.
  5. ^ Biswas, Soutik (10 July 2017). "Why stopping India's vigilante killings will not be easy". BBC News. Last month Prime Minister Narendra Modi said murder in the name of cow protection is "not acceptable."
  6. ^ S, Rukimini (3 July 2017). "Can Data Tell Us Whether Lynchings Have Gone Up Under Modi, And Should It Matter?". Huffington Post. London. Can Data Tell Us Whether Lynchings Have Gone Up Under Modi, And Should It Matter?.
  7. ^ Kumar, Nikhil (29 June 2017). "India's Modi Speaks Out Against Cow Vigilantes After 'Beef Lynchings' Spark Nationwide Protests". Time. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken out against violence by cow vigilante groups, a day after thousands of Indians gathered in cities across the country on Wednesday evening to protest against a string of attacks on minority Muslims that have sparked concern about the fraying of India's secular fabric.
  8. ^ Li, P.J.; Rahman, A.; Brooke, P.D.B.; Collins, L.M. (2008). Appleby, Michael C. (ed.). Long Distance Transport and Welfare of Farm Animals. CABI. ISBN 978-1-84593-403-3.
  9. ^ "After crackdown on cattle-smuggling, Indo-Bangladesh border sees spike in wildlife trafficking". The Indian Express. 27 October 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Protests held across India after attacks against Muslims". Reuters. 28 June 2017. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  11. ^ "Infographic: Cow Vigilantism Is a Driver of Violence Against India's Muslims". Statista Daily Data. 9 October 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  12. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference PRI was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference HRW1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference JobLoss was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Biswas, Soutik. "Why the humble cow is India's most polarising animal". BBC News.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference Risk was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ "Take urgent steps to stop cow vigilantism, Supreme Court tells Centre and states - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 7 November 2017.