Tok Presentation Religion and Knowledge

Hindu nationalism and cow vigilantes vigilantes : whose religion is this? To what extent can a belief based knowledge system be manipulated or misguided through the use of emotions and language?

Language of war and sacrifices “Our religion has given us the right to stop our mother being butchered,” …“ We have forcefully taken that right.”

-Dinesh Arya, State head of Gau-Raksha Dal (https://www.reuters.com/investigates/speci al-report/india-politics-religion-cows/)

Holy Cow! Screen shot from an unverified video posted on social media showing a Hindu mob brutally assaulting members of a nomad cattle-herding family accused of taking their cows for slaughter, Jammu, India, April 21, 2017. © 2017 Anonymous (https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/04/27/ind ia-cow-protection-spurs-vigilante-violence)

The language of sacred and profane •

The rhetoric of anger, violence and retribution becomes part of a religious campaign that arouses emotions of – religious pride fear from the other (muslims) majoritarian anger violence

With Cow at the center of WAR, being a Hindu means cow is the mother of all, mistreatment of cows is insult of Hindus, violence is  justified for protecting religion and so forth.

Protecting religion to protecting way of life •

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The BJP government has not been a vocal critique of cow vigilante groups and there are also accusations of silent support. Beef ban in may BJP ruled states has also drawn criticism. BJP leaders have promised not to ban beef if they come into power in Christian dominated states of Meghalya, Mizoram and Nagaland.

(https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/no-beef-ban-if-wecome-to-power-in-poll-bound-ne-states-bjp/storys73qgNWp0gWNf3B6NAJIbM.html)

When emotion is moderated by reason and sense-perception !