Daily Times

Poor Narenda Modi. Cows are still grabbing headlines across the border.

First, Amnesty International has this weekend revisited the subject by going on the record to reiterate its concerns over the recent discriminatory beef ban and the impact of this on livelihoods. There have, after all, been at least 10 lynching episodes in the last three months alone.

Then, as if that were not enough — a French journalist has come up with a graphic novel exploring the issue of cow vigilantism. To ostensibly show French readers that India today is a country that has long forgotten Gandhi. William de Tamaris’ research reportedly took him to six Indian states where he conducted umpteen interviews with Muslims traditionally linked to the butchering industry. His aim is not to sensationalise but to also explore the impact on livelihoods while documenting communities living in fear.

That this book has been published and is being discussed in India underscores that despite the current leadership’s national-religious fervour — democracy across the border is still in better shape than here in Pakistan.

Earlier this month, the Indian Supreme Court suspended the ban on the sale and purchase of cattle for slaughtering. The ban had been imposed this May and entailed a broad definition of ‘cattle’, including buffaloes and even camels. The SC decision remains a welcome development amidst the rising tide of extremism in that country.

This is something that indeed resonates here on this side of the border. It offers us encouragement when it comes to civil society agitation at the national level and, that too, against religious extremism of a different but equally lethal kind. This has vital lessons for us here in Pakistan — where militancy is increasingly eroding the space for open discourse. Like India, the Pakistani state is also guilty of marginalising minorities and silencing those who dare disagree with its narrative. We thus laud those who challenged the status quo.  *

Published in Daily Times, July 23^rd 2017.