Cow-related violence in India: 86% of those killed since 2010 were Muslim
97 percent of such cases occurred after Modi came to power.
(Web Desk) - India has seen an increase in cow-related violence in recent years. As the cow is held sacred in Hinduism, it has led many incidents of violence in the country whereby people were accused of eating beef and had to face the wrath of angry mobs. Usually, it is Muslims who have borne the brunt of cow-related violence. A report published by IndiaSpend gives a shocking picture of cow-related violence against Muslims.
According to the report, for the period from 2010 to 2017, 86 percent of the 28 Indians killed in cow-related violence were Muslims. A total of 63 such cases occurred during this period.
The report carried out an analysis of violence until June of 2017. It revealed that out of the incidents of cow-related violence, 97 percent, 61 out of 63 cases, occurred after Narendra Modi’s government came to power in 2014. Moreover, half of the cases, 32 of 63, happened in states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Picture courtesy IndiaSpend: A map showing the distribution of violent incidents from 2010-2017
The analysis also revealed that more than half, 52 percent, of these attacks were based on rumours.
2017- The worst year for cow-related violence
2017 was the worst year when it came to cow-related violence. In the first six months of 2017, 20 cow-related violence incidents were reported. These included mob lynching, murder, attempt to murder, harassment, assault, gang rapes, beatings and hangings.
Picture courtesy IndiaSpend: Graph depicting victims of cow-related violence
According to Indian news outlet, India Today, lynching is not mentioned in the Indian Penal Code and no particular law has been passed to deal with such cases. Moreover, the absence of such a law makes it difficult to deal with cases of mob violence and rioting.
The report by IndiaSpend further revealed that in 21 percent of such cases, 13 of 63, police registered cases against the victims and survivors. Moreover, in 5 percent of the cases, no attackers were reportedly arrested.
Furthermore, of the 63 attacks occurring from 2010-2017, 33 of them were based on rumours.
