Cow Protection: Threat to Modi Legitimacy

New Straits Times (Malaysia)

13 July 2017

Juhi Ahuja and Pravin Prakash

In many parts of India, the majority Hindu population considers the cow sacred. However, violent acts against humans in the name of “cow protection” are a worrying indication of the current administration’s failure to rein in extremist Hindu groups.

Narendra Modi’s ascension to the premiership was propelled by the support of the Sangh Parivar — the family of Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) organisations, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), where he earned his stripes as a grassroots organiser.

However, a large section of his support base also comprised the urbanised middle-class, who elected him for his commitment to economic development. This middle class largely disavows the use of violence and sees it as antithetical to economic development.

… Juhi Ahuja is a Senior Analyst and Pravin Prakash is an Associate Research Fellow with the Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS), a constituent unit of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

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