South Asia Citizens Web

Yogi Adityanath’s provincial government is the first fruit of this fusion of the State and the street. Adityanath is best understood as Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Vigilante. His democratic mandate legitimizes his private vigilante militia, the Hindu Yuva Vahini. The anti-Romeo squads who police Hindu-Muslim romance, the cow goondas who patrol UP’s highways attacking cattle transporters and butchers are examples of the state government of India’s most populous province informally sub-contracting out law enforcement functions to avowedly Hindu militias.

First they went after slaughterhouses. Then they turned to meat shops. Next they will invade our kitchens. That is not all. Yesterday beef was taboo. Today it is mutton. Tomorrow it will be fish and fowl, and eggs too. Let us be warned. The vigilantes are on the rampage and Uttar Pradesh is only their latest stomping ground.

In all the states where the BJP is now in power, there is a smoothly functioning patronage system for cow protection, not just in terms of large outlays for cow shelters and the like, but through a lower bureaucracy and police that extend all possible assistance for such activities, from issuing licences to cow protectees to ensuring that criminal action is largely reserved for the alleged “cow smugglers/thieves” rather than their murderous, extortionist assaulters.

vigilantism has grown so fast in the last few years that its new forms differ not just in degree from the earlier versions, but also in kind.

The removal and then re-installation of the Lady of Justice statue within 24 hours shows signs of a confused govt against fundamentalist demands. The govt should now resolutely stand up against Hefazat-e-Islam