By Ram Puniyani* 

For the past three decades, the cow has emerged as a significant emotive issue in Indian politics, often portrayed as a sacred animal. For many, she holds the status of a mother, and Hindu nationalist politics has effectively leveraged this sentiment to polarize society. Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Savarkar introduced the concept of Hindutva as embodying the essence of “Hinduness” beyond merely the Hindu religion. 

This concept became foundational for the RSS, which has been tirelessly pursuing the establishment of a Hindu nation for nearly a century. The last thirty years have been particularly advantageous for RSS politics, as the organization’s emotive issues dominate the national political landscape. This issue recently resurfaced in October 2024. 

The Maharashtra ruling coalition, led by the BJP, declared the indigenous cow breed, commonly referred to as Desi Gay, as Rajyamata-Gomata (state mother-cow mother). This move appears strategically timed ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra elections, where the BJP is perceived to be at a disadvantage following poor results in previous parliamentary elections. 

Consequently, they have turned to controversial tactics that deepen societal divisions. Simultaneously, a Karnataka minister made headlines by asserting that Savarkar, a key figure in Hindu nationalist ideology, was not inherently opposed to cow slaughter and did not regard the cow as sacred, viewing her instead as a useful animal. 

At a Gandhi Jayanti event in Bengaluru, Dinesh Gundu Rao claimed, “Savarkar was not only a meat-eater who consumed beef but also advocated for it publicly.” Minister Gundu Rao emphasized that despite being a Brahmin, Savarkar did not follow traditional dietary customs and embraced a modernist approach. He stated, “Savarkar was a Brahmin, but he ate beef and was a non-vegetarian. He did not oppose cow slaughter; in fact, he was quite progressive on that topic.” 

It is well-documented that Savarkar consumed meat. During one notable visit from Gandhi to Savarkar in London—while Gandhi sought support for his South African endeavors—Savarkar prepared a dinner of fried prawns, which Gandhi, adhering to vegetarianism, declined. Savarkar also expressed that cows should not be worshipped. 

This story was originally published in counterview.net. Read the full story here.