Bovine Politics, Human Cost: Why Madhya Pradesh’s Cow Protection Year is Making Headlines for the Wrong Reasons

Bhopal: After assuming office, the Mohan Yadav-led BJP government in Madhya Pradesh pledged to celebrate 2024 as ‘Gauvansh Raksha Varsh (Bovine Protection Year),’ emphasizing its campaign on cow protection and preservation. In 2020, the state also constituted the ‘gau cabinet (cow cabinet)’ the first of its kind in the nation. Besides, the central Indian state has also amended the Madhya Pradesh Cow Slaughter Prohibition Act, 2004 empowering the district collectors to confiscate vehicles to prevent illegal transportation or smuggling of cows. In a controversial move, the administration has even demolished the homes of those accused of allegedly keeping beef in their refrigerators.

Despite government measures and crackdowns, the condition of cows in the state remains dreadful. Hundreds of cows still wander the roads leading to accidents and deaths— of humans and (sacred animals). However, there is little action against those who fail the government’s campaign and public outrage remains absent.

Cow Welfare in Madhya Pradesh: Claims, Promises And Reality Checks

The Animal Husbandry Department in August reported that 93 cows have died and 295 were injured in road accidents on state highways connecting Bhopal, Raisen, Vidisha, Sehore, Dewas, and Rajgarh cities of the heartland of India. At least three cows died everyday in July. The government reported in June freeing 7,500 cows and arresting 1,000 individuals for illegal cow transportation.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently issued a notice to key officials seeking a response from the state on stray cattle blocking national highways. A division bench of Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf questioned why cattle are allowed to gather on roads causing disruptions. The notice came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Tikamgarh resident Swami Dev Swaroopanand who raised concerns about the dire condition of cattle hurting religious sentiments of Hindus.

Notably, in August, the Madhya Pradesh government formed a high-level committee to tackle the issue of stray cattle, launching a 15-day special campaign to address the problem.

BJP MLA Vishnu Khatri in conversation with eNewsroom said that addressing the stray cattle issue isn’t simple, especially in rural areas. The government is making efforts. Five years ago, there were no gaushalas (cowsheds) in my assembly; now, we have around 10-12. The Yadav government increased the fodder allowance to Rs 40 per cow which helps. We’ve also involved private organizations to manage some gaushalas like the Tribal community doing an excellent job.

Madhya Pradesh has around 2,000 gaushalas and 9 lakh stray cattle. Funding for cows grew 26 times from 2019 to 2024 with daily funds rising from Rs 1.5 to Rs 20 under the Kamal Nath government, and to Rs 40 under the present BJP government.

Ground realities and resource allocations

Ishika Khakre of Animals With Humanity expressed concerns over the poor conditions of cows on the roads. She identified the lack of dairy by law enforcement as the main reason cows roam the streets. Dairy owners abandon cattle after milking, unable to afford their feed. While the Gauvansh Act in Madhya Pradesh bans cow slaughter, buffaloes can still be sent to slaughterhouses leaving aging cows on the streets. Despite being revered, many cows eat garbage showing a lack of government action.

“If the government were truly active, dairy bylaws would be enforced by now. Recent attempts to relocate cows to gaushalas failed due to poor conditions—no food, sanitation, or care. The problem isn’t a lack of laws but their implementation. Our team shared dairy bylaws with authorities in December but no actions were taken until accidents increased. Now, they’re collaborating with policymakers to implement long-term solutions, urging dairy owners to take responsibility and care for their cattle,” Khakre commented.

The Hindustan Times reported that the Madhya Pradesh government diverted the funds meant for SC/STs for cow welfare. According to the report, Rs 252 crore is allocated for cow welfare through the Gau Samvardhan and Pashi Samvardhan schemes. Rs 95.76 crore of this is from the SC/ST sub-plan. The fund has grown from around ₹90 crore last year.

“This is not a permanent program. Past allocations for cow protection don’t rule out future SC/ST funding. The government addresses various perspectives and fields. While SC/ST funds aim to support their progress, development comes from multiple sources, not just these funds. Any financial shifts are temporary and will improve over time. Previous governments failed to manage gaushalas properly. People only keep cattle for milk and abandon them afterwards. We must instil a sense of responsibility for ageing cattle, similar to caring for elderly parents. Unlike the Congress governments, the BJP is focusing on utilizing resources like cow urine and dung for medicines,” Khatri stated.

Communal tension and legal ramifications

Muslim men have been continuously harassed and lynched in allegations of cow-related offences, including slaughter, smuggling, theft, and transportation of cattle perpetrated by individuals affiliated with Hindutva organizations and right-wing groups. In May 2022, two Tribal men allegedly accused of slaughtering a cow were lynched by a Hindutva mob in tribal-dominated Seoni of Madhya Pradesh. Sixty three butchered bovines were found on June 19 in the district central to the government’s crackdown. Fifty five cases were registered, 99 people were arrested, and 1,301 cows were rescued in the first half of this year.

“Various self-serving organizations and workers take unwanted actions on emotions. Especially, when there is a mob that lacks wisdom. It’s important to differentiate between cow trafficking and animal husbandry during transportation. While unwanted minor incidents may occur, the government intends to protect cows. It has implemented measures to prevent these occurrences and the law takes action in such cases. It protects innocent individuals,” said Khatri.

A livestock transporter informed eNewsroom that his vehicle transporting buffaloes was stopped by RSS last week and an FIR was filed against him. “I only transport buffaloes, not cows. My business is entirely legal yet I face harassment. Farmers from various communities such as Rajputs, Yadavs, and Brahmins bring cattle to the market. The Municipal Corporation gives a receipt when the livestock are purchased. As long as the livestock remains with the seller it is legal.

However, once buyers obtain the receipt, it suddenly becomes illegal. This has happened to me at least 10 times when my transport was seized. I even pay a monthly fee to different police stations despite running a legal business. They make false allegations of animal cruelty but I won’t quit. Why would anybody risk their life transporting cows knowing the dangers?” he questioned.

The IndiaSpend database in 2017 revealed a disturbing trend: India had witnessed 78 cow-related hate crimes since 2012 with a staggering 97% of these incidents occurring after the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in May 2014. Only one incident was reported in both 2012 and 2013. 86% of the victims were Muslims. Data collected by it from 2010 onwards revealed no reported cases during 2010 and 2011.

Eleven Muslim homes were demolished on June 15 in Bhainswahi of Mandla in allegations of illegal beef trade and recovery of 150 cows and beef in their homes. The action was taken just a day before Bakrid left entire families without shelter. In another instance in June, the authorities demolished the homes of four Muslim men in Jaora of Ratlam allegedly for throwing cow parts in the temple.

By July, the state demolished 21 homes in cow-related incidents in 2024.

The Supreme Court of India on September 17 stayed the demolitions of homes including those of accused individuals until October 1. The Court emphasized that even a single instance of illegal demolition undermines the “ethos” of the Constitution. However, this order does not apply to unauthorized structures on public roads, footpaths, railway lines, or water bodies.

“The Indian Constitution and laws do not discriminate based on religion or caste. Everyone has the right to celebrate their festivals. Demolitions typically occur only in cases of illegal encroachments and proper notices should be given. Though it may seem selective in the media, encroachment is still encroachment, regardless of religion. Bulldozers should be used appropriately and within legal parameters. I certainly won’t defend the government on this. It’s the responsibility of the concerned department that encroachments should be stopped immediately, not after incidents occur, as delayed demolitions aren’t justified. Bulldozers do not target only criminals; they operate under due process. There must be planning for development to address encroachments effectively,” remarked Khatri.

Cow holds a sacred status for many Indian Hindus making it a pivotal element in political discourse. In the 2023 state assembly elections, both the BJP and Congress used cow politics to sway voters. Madhya Pradesh Cow Slaughter Prohibition Act, 2004 law strictly prohibits the slaughter of cows, calves, bulls, and bullocks in the state. It criminalizes the act of cow slaughter with provisions for imprisonment and fines. It also bans the transportation of cows for slaughter within and outside the state.

The act amended in 2019 also has provisions against cow vigilantism.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a picture with a calf on his “X” account amplifying the ongoing political narrative around cow protection and its role in shaping public sentiment.

“The dairy business is rife with malpractices where cows are treated as commodities. They’re often separated from calves to maximize milk output, and illegal drugs like oxytocin are used in 80% of dairies to boost milk production. Despite this, the government ignores these issues while major players like Amul monopolize the industry, even classifying alternatives like soya milk as beverages. Instead of stricter actions against a particular community, the government should focus on addressing the actual issue. If we can channel the same energy used in demolishing homes into implementing existing laws, we could find real solutions,” Khakre added.