Eurasia Review
08 July 2017
- RSIS
- Media Mentions
- Cow Vigilantism In India: Modi’s Dilemma Or Legacy? – Analysis
Cow Vigilantism In India: Modi’s Dilemma Or Legacy? – Analysis
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 reign 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.
CENS / Online
Last updated on 11/07/2017
