The Politics of the Cow: Religion, Foreign Influence, and the Business of Votes

 

The Politics of the Cow: Religion, Foreign Influence, and the Business of Votes

Hindi Version: https://rakeshinsightfulgaze.blogspot.com/2026/10/blog-post_28.html

For 79 years since India's independence, the British policy of divide and rule has continued to influence Indian politics. The British understood that India could be weakened by exploiting its religious and caste divisions. Organizations such as the RSS and Muslim League emerged during British rule, and questions remain about the financial and political support these organizations received from outside interests. I have always believed that foreign influence did not end when the British left India. There have been allegations of money reaching religious and political organizations through foreign interests, both before and after independence. How directly Western governments were involved is difficult to prove, but the history of Western intelligence agencies interfering in other countries is hardly a secret. In my view, keeping India divided served the interests of those who did not want a powerful, independent nation. The RSS promoted a vision of society influenced by older religious and social hierarchies. Such a system, in my view, was more compatible with the interests of powerful groups than the modern democratic India envisioned by Gandhi and Nehru.

The assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948 exposed the dangers of religious extremism. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel banned the RSS, although the ban was lifted in 1949 after assurances were given to the government. Gandhi had fought for religious harmony, but the politics of religious division continued. India was never a nation of one religion, language, caste, or culture. It was a collection of different societies that came together to form one country. Unfortunately, religious differences became an opportunity for politicians to divide people and gain power. And the cow became one of their most powerful political weapons.

Cow-protection movements began long before independence. The Namdhari Sikhs were involved in protests during the 1860s, and the Arya Samaj expanded organized cow-protection campaigns during the 1880s. By 1893, disputes over cow slaughter had contributed to major communal violence. The issue became particularly explosive during Indira Gandhi's government. On November 7, 1966, tens of thousands of sadhus, religious activists, and supporters gathered outside Parliament demanding a nationwide ban on cow slaughter. Organizations including the RSS, Bharatiya Jana Sangh, and Hindu Mahasabha supported the movement. The demonstration turned violent, police opened fire, and several people were killed. Cow protection remained an emotional political issue during Mrs. Gandhi's years in power. Religious organizations continued demanding restrictions on slaughter, while the government had to balance religious pressure, constitutional responsibilities, agriculture, and the economic interests associated with livestock and meat production.

Then came 1971. Under Mrs. Gandhi's leadership, India defeated Pakistan and helped create Bangladesh. Despite pressure from the United States, India demonstrated its military and political strength. Indira Gandhi emerged as one of the world's most powerful leaders. I believe India's growing strength made its internal divisions even more attractive to those who preferred a weaker India. Whether foreign financial interests directly supported particular religious movements remains difficult to establish, but the political benefits of keeping India divided are obvious.

Now look at the hypocrisy surrounding cows. Before the influence of Buddha and Mahavir, people across the Indian subcontinent followed different food traditions, including meat consumption. India was never uniformly vegetarian, and even today food habits differ across regions and communities. Yet some religious organizations behave as though eating beef is the greatest crime imaginable. But how do humans actually treat cows? We keep cows confined, take their milk, and often restrict their calves' access to it. When the animals stop producing enough milk, many are abandoned. Some wander the streets eating garbage and plastic. Where is the compassion in all this? If cows are sacred, why are they treated as commercial milk-producing machines? Why do their calves sometimes suffer while humans consume the milk? Why do so many abandoned cows receive little care? The same people who shout slogans about cow protection rarely question the treatment of animals within the dairy industry.

And then comes the political business. The BJP has repeatedly used cow protection to appeal to religious sentiments, while controversies have emerged over political donations from businesses connected to meat processing and exports. India remains a major exporter of buffalo meat, which is legally different from cow meat. If the meat industry is so objectionable, why should political parties accept money from businesses associated with it? People need to understand this hypocrisy. Religion becomes a business, the cow becomes a political symbol, and ordinary Indians are encouraged to fight over what their neighbors eat. Meanwhile, the politicians collect votes.

India should have become a much stronger economic and scientific power. Instead, successive governments failed to overcome caste divisions and invest sufficiently in small businesses, research, and development. Religious controversies repeatedly distracted people from the issues that could improve their lives. The cow cannot vote, but politicians have discovered they can collect millions of votes in her name. My dear friends, do not be fooled by politicians or religious organizations that claim to love cows while ignoring their suffering. If they genuinely care about cows, let them provide proper food, shelter, veterinary treatment, and protection from cruelty. Let them question the commercial exploitation of dairy animals instead of threatening people over their food choices.

The British understood how religious divisions could weaken India. Unfortunately, many politicians have continued using the same strategy long after independence. The cow deserves compassion, not political exploitation. India deserves progress, not another century of divide-and-rule politics. And to those who continue shouting about protecting cows, I have one simple question: Are you protecting the cow, or are you protecting the political business you have built around her?