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The announcement made by a Hindu group to organise a Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra or cow flag installation India tour in Kohima as part of the movement aimed at elevating the cow to the status of ‘Rashtra Mata’ or the mother of the nation has received stiff objection from various political parties and civil society organisations. The nationwide yatra, which is scheduled to be held from September 22 to October 26, is aimed at creating awareness among citizens in an attempt to move cow protection from the state list to the central list in the Indian Constitution and make India free of cow slaughter. It was informed at a press conference in Kohima last weekend that the Gau Dhwaj or cow flag, would be installed in the state capital on September 28 before the yatra leaving for Imphal in Manipur. However, this has not gone down well with the people of Nagaland, who love non-vegetarian food including beef and for whom meat has been an integral part of their cuisine. Major political parties, including the ruling alliance -- Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – and Naga People’s Front (NPF), have expressed concern, stating that any move to ban cow slaughter could hurt the sentiments of the Naga people and affect the socio-religious harmony. Interestingly, political parties, including the BJP, have opposed the move, terming the proposed cow slaughter ban as a challenge to the cultural and social practices of the Nagas, even before civil society organisations could react. It can be taken as a pre-emptive move, as backlash is obvious.
Such a backlash is not something new. In 2017, when the centre notified the banning of the sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter in markets under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, several states resisted. Protests erupted in several parts of Kerala with student and youth activists organising ‘beef festivals’. In Mizoram, the then Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was in Aizawl to review the security situation along the international border, was welcomed with a “beef festival”, forcing the minister to clarify that there is no law that restricts the food habits of people. A similar fest was organised in Nagaland and Meghalaya too. No wonder beef-consuming states have taken the move to install cow flags as a red flag. For people of Nagaland and other indigenous tribes in the Northeast, beef has been an integral part of festivals, events and celebrations. This is so entrenched in their way of life that any attempt to restrict the slaughter of animals, be it mithuns, cows, buffalos or pigs, can be seen as a challenge to their tradition, culture and social practices. Moreover, several states, including Nagaland, have opted out of the 2019 cow slaughter ban. It is pertinent to respect each other’s religious beliefs, social practices and traditions in a country as diverse as India. Dictating the food habits of people is unwarranted and should not be allowed.