ALWAR: The Meos of Alwar are a worried lot. The traditional cow rearing community of the region faces increasing attacks by right-wing activists, who have lynched at least three people so far in the name of “cow protection.”
The recent lynching of Rakbar Khan by ‘gau rakshaks’ July 21 is but the tip of the iceberg, with locals saying several such cases go unreported. The friction between the Meos, who are Muslims, and the mushrooming Saffron brigade in the region has been intensifying over the past few years, with politicians gleefully describing the occasional interfaith marriages in the region as ‘love jihad’ to add further fuel to the fire.
“As a Hindu, it is our duty to save cows from slaughter we do not have any problem with someone rearing cattle for a living. If we do not do what we do, smuggling of cows for slaughter will increase manifold,” says Jawaharlal, district head of Shiv Sena and the guide for the gau rakshaks in Ramgarh.
“We only help the police doing their work of stopping cow smuggling in the area, and now it is us who are being targeted under political pressure. The deceased was seen getting beaten up by the police on their way back,” says Naval Kishore Sharma, in-charge of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Ramgarh, and one of the persons named in the FIR in the Rakbar lynching case.
While the Meos say that the fear of being attacked during the day leaves them no option but to travel secretively with their cattle at night, Right-wingers say only smugglers need to move in the darkness.
“The traditional subjects like Ram Mandir construction and the state of Jammu and Kashmir which the BJP used to divide the population to garner votes are no more working from them,” says Sher Mohammad, President of Meo Panchayat of Alwar region.
“On both sides majority of people, be it Hindus or Muslims do not attach themselves to this anymore. The BJP which has used such issues is now out to find a new line to create a divide in the society. The so-called Gau Raksha has emerged in such a manner only in last three years. One can see the political reactions and statements made by right-wingers be it in Jaipur or Delhi they all are indirectly justifying such acts,” he points out.
The Gau Rakshaks of Alwar mainly comprise Rajputs, Yadavs and Sikhs.
The group leader, usually a community elder, coordinates with members and meets them face to face every week. Ninety percent of cows at the Gyan Sudha Sagar Gaushala, the biggest in Ramgarh, are from such seizures by Gau Rakshaks, who are in close touch with the Gaushala.
Jawaharlal, a former truck driver who now runs a travel agency and has a dairy supply contract, joined the Shiv Sena in 1992. Before that, he was associated with the now disbanded Hindu Shakti Sena.
“During that time I quite closely saw the functioning of cow smugglers. They brutally load 5-6 cows in one jeep. Killing someone is wrong and should not happen, but some lesson is required to be taught as the police are the only slave to money.
“Whoever gives them money, the police favours them. It is upon us youngsters who have the responsibility to take care of our cows. The love jihad is being done deliberately. these are tactics to demotivate the Hindus of the area,” he asserts.