8/27/2016

Thecowisjustapoliticalanimal|Frontline

COVERSTORY

Published:August17,201612:30IST|Updated:August17,201612:41IST
INTERVIEW

Thecowisjustapoliticalanimal

TheHinduArchivesD.N.Jha:"ThecowisusedformarginalisingbothMuslimsandDalits."

InterviewwiththehistorianD.N.Jha.BYZIYAUSSALAM
ThehistorianD.N.Jha,whotaughtatDelhiUniversityandwasamemberoftheIndianCouncilofHistoricalResearch,haslongtalked
abouttheplaceofthecowinIndianhistory.InhisbookTheMythoftheHolyCow,hepresentedscripturalevidencetoshowthatthe
cowwasnotheldsacredinancientIndia.Indrahadaspeciallikingforbulls.AgniwasnotatipplerlikeIndrabutwasfondoftheflesh
ofhorses,bullsandcows.ThetoothlessPusan,theguardianoftheroads,atemushasaHobsonschoice.Somawasthenameofan
intoxicantbut,equallyimportant,ofagod,andkillinganimals(includingcattle)forhimwasbasictomostoftheRgvedicyajnas.The
MarutsandtheAsvinswerealsoofferedcows,Jhawrote.InaninterviewwithFrontline,hesaidthattheLeftshouldtrytobring
MuslimsandDalits,thetwogroupsaffectedbypoliticscentredaroundthecow,together.
Andthesegaurakshaks[cowvigilantes]havenoloveforthecow.Otherwisecowswouldnothavebeeneatingplasticatgarbage
dumps.TheyjusthatetheMuslimsandtheDalits.Thecowisjustapoliticalanimal,hesaid.Excerptsfromaninterview:
Howdoyoulookatthecowbeingusedasapoliticalweapon?Alotofprofanethingsarebeingdoneinthenameofan
animalclaimedtobesacred.
Thecowwasneverusedforspiritualelevation.In20thcenturyeverybodyusedthecowasapoliticalweapon.Inthelate19thcentury
andtheearly20thcentury,DayanandSaraswatiuseditforthemobilisationofHindus.ThisevenresultedinmanyHinduMuslimriots.
Since1925,theRSS[RashtriyaSwayamsewakSangh]hasuseditinthesameway.Ithasbeenusedforpolitics,notjustsimplepolitics,
butcommunalpolitics.Itisanattemptatpolarisation.Thecowhasnothingtodowiththesacredorthespiritual.Itisjustapolitical
animal.
Followingrecentassaultsbyvigilantegroupsinthenameofcowprotection,istherenotapossibilityofthe
minoritiesandtheDalitscomingtogether?
Thisisquiteinterestinginthesensethatinthefirstplace,rightwingpeopleusedtosaythatbeefeatingwascommonamongMuslims
andthattheyintroduceditinIndia.NowtheyareaccusingtheDalits.OntheonehandwehaveacaselikeAkhlaq[thelynchingvictim
inDadri,UttarPradesh].Now,ontheotherhand,wehaveacaseliketheUnaincident.ThecowisusedformarginalisingbothMuslims
andDalits.TheideaistogetridofMuslimsandDalits,buttheresultisbotharecomingtogether.Itislikeanadhesive.TheRSSis
undecidedaboutwhetheritwantstoplaycastepoliticsorcommunalpolitics.TheywanttomarginaliseMuslims,andthenagainthey
wanttodothesametoDalits.Itwontwork,thereisacontradictionthere.
TheRSSclaimsthatbeforethecomingoftheMuslimstherewasnocowslaughter
Howcanitsaythat?Peoplehavebeeneatingbeefallover.InKerala,everybodyeatsbeef,excepttheNamboodiris.Some72percentof
thecommunities[inthecountry]eatbeef.Theyhavebeendoingsotraditionally.InnortheasternIndiaitisverycommon.TheRSS
doesnotknowwhatishappeninginthiscountry.TheysayonlyMuslimsandDalitseatbeef.Itisallnonsense.
Ifyougobackinhistory,thereissomuchmentionofcattlesacrificeandofcowsbeingkilledtopropitiatedeities.Thereisnodoubtthat
cowswerekilledandthatBrahminsatecowmeat.ThepracticecontinuedevenaftertheVedicperiod.ItexistedduringtheBuddhist
periodandalsoduringthetimeoftheMauryas.TheManuSmritialsomentionsit.Thesefellows[Hindutvaproponents]donotrealise
thatthehistoricalevidenceistotallyagainsttheirviewpoint.
Everybodyknowsthatcowswerekilledonsuchoccasionsasmarriage,thesacredthreadceremony,thearrivaloftheguest,atthetime
ofdeath,atthetimeofhousewarmings.Therearemanyinstanceslistedinscriptures.Iftherewasanhonourableguest,hewouldbe
servedcowmeat.Inagrariansocietiesitwasverycommon.IttookBrahminsalongtimetochangetheiroutlooktowardsthecow.Later,
muchlater,theygaveupeatingitsmeat.IfyoulookattheVedasortheDharmaSutras,cowkillingwasfine.AftertheMauryanperiod,
references[tocowslaughter]becomefewerandfewerinthetexts.TowardsthebeginningofthefirstmillenniumA.D.,thischangewas
takingplace,mainlyinnorthernIndia.Onecannotgivetheexactdate.Itmayhavetakenseveralcenturies.Myresearchisconfinedto
Sanskrittexts,IknowlittleaboutTamilorMalayalamtexts.Icannotmakeastatementaboutthat.Butittookalongtimeinnorthern
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Sanskrittexts,IknowlittleaboutTamilorMalayalamtexts.Icannotmakeastatementaboutthat.Butittookalongtimeinnorthern
Indiaforthecowtoattainadifferentstatus.Onereasonforthechangewaseconomic.Asmoreandmorelandcameundercultivation,
theeconomicimportanceofthecowincreased.TheBrahminssaid:Okay,ourcowswontbekilled,butcowswillbekilledandthe
lowestinthecasteordercankillbutwewillnotkill.They,therefore,associatedbeefeatingwiththeDalits.Thisprocesswasgradual,
veryslow,involvinghundredsofyears.
InancientIndia,welearn,priestswerepaidincattle...
Yes,thatwasthedakshina.Theideathatcowswouldnotbekilledmighthaveoriginatedfromthatnecessity.TheBrahminsonlysaid
theircowswouldnotbekilled.Thatideamayhavecaughtonoveraperiodwhencastesbecamerigidandagrarianexpansiontookplace.
Wasthechangeonlywithrespecttothecoworallkindsofcattle?
Ithinkcattleingeneral.Butsincethecowisunderdiscussionthesedays,itisimportanttorememberthatcowswerekilledsincethe
timeoftheVedasinancientIndia.Andnobody,notevenBrahmins,consideredthemsacredforalongtime.
YoutalkofIndrabeingpropitiatedwithcowmeat.Howcomethecommonmanhasforgottenwhatthescriptures
say?
AtonetimeIndrawasimportant.Today,SantoshiMataisimportant.Parasuramwasverypopularatonetime,nownobodyremembers.
Changesinthepopularityofdeitiesdoaffectthesethings.Itisnotonlyabouteconomicorcastefactors,thereligiousfactortoois
important.WhenKrishnabecameapopulardeityinnorthernIndia,thecowwasalsoelevated.Heplayedwithcows.Theevolutionof
theKrishnacultalsotooktime.Gradually,thecastehierarchybecamemorerigid.Allthesethingscombined.Byninthand10th
centuries,BrahminswerenoteatingcowsandfirmlyassociatedcoweatingwithDalits.ButnoneoftheBrahmanicaltextsmentions
cowkillingasamajorcrime.IntraditionalIndianliterature,crimeisclassifiedasmajorandminor,mahapatakaanduppataka.Cow
killingisuppataka.Itisstatedthatitisasbadascleaningyourteethwithyourfingers.Thatisnocrimeatall.Theserightwingpeople
shouldstudytheDharmaShastras,thenormativetextswherethesethingsarewrittenclearly.Todaytheyhavemadecowslaughtera
majorcrimewithdraconianlaws.Youcanbearrestedonthebasisofmereaccusation.YetallthisisagainsttheirownShastras.
Howdoyoulookatgaurakshasamitis?
Theremaybesomepeoplewhobelievesincerelyintheprotectionofthecow.Ialsobelieveintheprotectionofcattle,infactallanimals.
Idonotlikeanimalsbeingkilled.Butwhyonlycow?Whataboutthebull?Althoughthereisacultofthebull,thecultofNandi,nobody
talksofthat.Thecowhasnotempleinthecountry,whereasthefilmstarMadhuriDixithasatempleinJamshedpur.MGRalsohasa
templethecowhasnotemple,poorcow!Yetthereissomuchhueandcry.
ThatwayisntthecowworseoffthanBrahma?
Yes,thecowhasnotempleinIndia,sofarasIknow.Infact,bullskeeproamingaroundthetemples,andtheremaybeaNandicult
popularinsomepartsbecauseofSiva.ButthecowonlyhasjustoneGopashtamiwhenitisgarlandedandkumkumapplied.
Whendidthispracticeofgarlandingthecowstart?
Ihavenotcomeacrossanyreferenceinancienttexts.Itisquiterecent,probably18thor19thcentury.DharmaShastrasdonotmention
garlandingthecow.
IsitnottruethatinmedievalIndiacowswereusedasshieldsinbattles?
Bythattimethecowhadbecomeimportant.ButcowscouldbeusedasshieldswhenthefightwasbetweentwoHindurulers.Butin
medievalIndia,battleswereusuallyfoughtbetweenMusliminvadersandlocalHindurulers.IhavereferredtoSikhKukas,too,inthe
late19thcentury,moreorlessaroundthesametimeasDayanandSaraswati.ButtheKukasusedthecowtoopposetheBritish.
DayanandSaraswatihadadifferentpurpose.HewasintoShuddhiandmobilisationoftheHindus.Bothwereinterestedinprotecting
thecow.EventheJains.Infact,thelargestnumberofcowsheltersareinRajasthanandGujarat,theStateswithasignificantJain
population.Butthewholethingisajokeinthesensethattodaythereisnoontoremoveadeadcowfromacowshelter.
Todaywhenthecowisalive,sheisthemother,whensheisdead
Eventhen,whenDalitsareskinningadeadcow,theyarebeatenuporkilled.InthebiggestgaushalainRajasthan,some20kmfrom
Jaipur,20cowsdieeverydayandthereisnoonetoremovethecarcasses.Now,withtheUnaincident,thisproblemwillbecomemuch
worse.TheDalitsarejustifiedinsayingno[todisposingofdeadcattle]asamatterofrevolt.Theprotectionofthecowismoreorless
ajoke.Evenifsheisamother,sheissittinginthemiddleoftheroadorsheiseatinggarbage,oreatingplasticatagarbagedump.What
kindofprotectionisbeinggiven?TheDharmaShastrasareveryclearthatthefoodtouchedbyacowisimpure.Ithastobepurified.
TheBrahminscannoteatthatfood.Sowhatkindofmotherisshe?
Duringthefreedomstruggle,inlate19thcenturyandearly20thcentury,manyarticlesintheHindipresshailedthe
cow.EventheGitaPressprintedmanysucharticles.
TheGitaPresshasalwaysbeenarevivalistpress.Ithasplayedareactionaryroleinthenationalmovement.Therewasageneration
amongeducatedHinduswhowouldreligiouslyreadtheGitaPressKalyanmagazine.Evenmyfatherwasfondofreadingitthoughhe
wasaliberalman.Butithadareactionaryimpactonmostpeople.
WhataboutaleaderlikeSavarkar?Hewasnotmuchintocowprotection.
Savarkarwasnotinfavourofcowprotection.Hesaidtherewasnopointinprotectingthecowafteracertainperiodoftime.He
ridiculedthehypocrisyofthosewhoaccusedothersofhurtingtheirreligiousfeelings.Theydonotmindconsumingcowurinebutat
thesametimekeepsomepeopleatarmslength,Savarkaroncesaid.Thesepeopledonotreadtheirownhistory.Itisconvenient
ignorance.Theydonotwantanythingthatisinformative,reasonableorrational.Theyhaveblindfaith.Maybeevenblindhatred.
WhatisthewayoutforMuslimsandDalits?Howdotheycounterit?
HerecomestheroleoftheLeft.TheLeftshouldunitethesetwosegmentsofsociety.TheLefthasalsobeenlargelyBrahmanical.It
shouldgiveupthatbackgroundandbringthetwocommunitiestogether.
ThatroleissoughttobeplayedbyMayawati.PerhapswiththeupcomingUttarPradeshelectionsinmind?
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ThatroleissoughttobeplayedbyMayawati.PerhapswiththeupcomingUttarPradeshelectionsinmind?
Shemaytryonherown,butlettheLeftplayitsrole.Mayawatidoesnotwanttoarguethings.TheLeftcandothingslogically.Itsmain
basesareinKeralaandBengal,thetwoplaceswherethecowisslaughtered.Theycandoit.Thereissomerethinkingonthepartofthe
Left.MuslimsandDalitsarecomingtogether,andtheLeftisnotaversetothisidea.
Buttheyshouldplayaleadingroleifnecessary.SomebodylikeSitaramYechuryshouldstepin.IfyoucanargueinfavourofaCongress
LeftallianceinBengal,whycantyoubringDalitsandMuslimstogether?ThereareveryfewMuslimsandDalitsintheseparties.That
shouldchange.Afterall,thepartyfoundedbyMuzaffarAhmed[inBengal]shouldhavemanymore.Ihaveafeeling,thereisachurning
goingon.AndtheseattacksonMuslimsandDalitsinthenameofcowprotectionwilldrivethemtogether.Gauwillactasaglue.The
vigilantegroupsaggressionmayjustworkagainstthem.
Itseemsthereisachurninggoingon.Thereisnothingwrongwithit.Allthisneedsfieldwork,mixingwithpeople.Idonotknowhow
manyarewillingtodoit.
Doyouthinkthiscowpoliticswillcontinueuntil2019,oraslongHindutvaforcesplayanimportantroleatthe
Centre?
CowpoliticsisagiftoftheRSS.ThewaytheRSSisassertingitselfandovershadowingthegovernment,thecowwillcontinue[to
dominatepolitics]despiteallcontradictions.
Weseemtobestumblingfromonecontroversytoanother,fromBharatMatatoGauMata.Howdoyoulookatit?
GauMataandBharatMataarenearcontemporaries.TheconceptoftheBharatMatacameupalittlemorethanahundredyearsago.
Itsvisualevocationcameupnotearlierthan1905inapaintingbyAbanindranathTagore.GauMataisofthesamevintage.Theywill
continuetovitiatetheculturalandpoliticaldiscourseinIndiainthecomingyears.

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