3 Muslim men slaughter a cow, a deeply religious manifestation of Hindu faith, for a political protest
Manipur, India 
30 January, 2022
Case Summary
In Manipur, three Muslim youths—Abdul Rashid, Nazbul Hussain, and Mohammad Arif Khan—were arrested by Lilong Police for slaughtering a cow on a BJP flag. The incident gained widespread attention after a video of the gruesome act went viral on social media. The youths committed the act because a candidate they supported was denied a BJP ticket. In the 29-second video, a group of around 10 individuals was seen slitting the cow's throat on the flag, while also abusing Manipur's Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and BJP Manipur Unit President Adhikarimayum Sarda Devi. The video, which sparked outrage online, was seen as promoting enmity and discord between different communities. The Lilong Police confirmed the incident, expressing concerns that it could disrupt law and order and threaten communal harmony in the region. In response, the police registered a Suo-moto case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 153A (promoting enmity), 429 (mischief), 504 (intentional insult), and Section 11(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The arrests were made to prevent further escalation and maintain peace in the locality.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
Icons and symbols or a religious representation of a spiritual ideal are widely revered in Hinduism. Iconography is of vital significance in the Hindu milieu. It helps connect people’s spiritual beliefs with the real world. Iconography within the Hindu faith takes several shapes and forms. Murtis are of most significance to Hindus, to which daily rituals, prayers and offerings are done. Besides the murtis, there are several other symbols which have deep significance in the Hindu faith – the Om and Swastika for example. Since these Hindu religious symbols hold paramount importance in Hinduism, any desecration of symbols, icons, murtis, religious representations and manifestations, is driven by animosity towards the faith itself which manifests itself through these murtis, icons and symbols. Another symbol of faith for Hindus is the cow. The cow is an animal which is considered sacred and worshipping by Hindus. The slaughter of the cow owing to religious animosity by non-Hindus has been a method of insulting/humiliating Hindus, forcefully converting Hindus and desecrating their faith for centuries. There have been several recorded instances of non-Hindus slaughtering cows even in temples to desecrate the Hindu faith. In this case, the dispute between the Muslim perpetrators in question and the political party was over ticket distribution. Essentially, the dispute was purely political with no religious angle to it. However, the Muslim perpetrators, who were upset about their candidate not getting an election ticket, turned the conflict religious in nature by slaughtering a cow as a political protest. The act of slaughtering a cow is in itself an act of deliberate desecration of a symbol of Hindu faith, born out of inherent animosity towards the faith. It is a fact that BJP as a political party is in principal opposed to cow slaughter due to cultural and religious considerations. The act of slaughtering the cow was an intentional affront to what they perceived the party represents - which is being against cow slaughter for religious considerations. That the purpose of the protest was political, however, is irrelevant in this case. That a cow was slaughtered as a mark of anger itself is a symptom of the religious animosity that the non-Hindu perpetrators harboured against Hinduism and its religious symbols. This case is, therefore, being categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
