Bhartiya Gau Raksha Dal

Bhartiya Gau Raksha Dal
Also known as	BGRD
Founder	Pawan Pandit<ref name="LM">Masoodi, Ashwaq (26 July 2016). "Who is a Gau Rakshak?". LiveMint.</ref>
Leader	Pawan Pandit<ref name="LM" />
Foundation	24 August 2012 (2012-08-24)
Motives	Participation in the cow protection movement
Ideology	Hindutva
Political position	Right-wing
Major actions	Cow vigilante violence Anti-Muslim violence Anti-Dalit violence
Part of	Sangh Parivar

The Bhartiya Gau Raksha Dal (lit. 'Indian Cow Protection Organisation'; abbr.:BGRD) is an Indian right-wing militant Hindutva organisation. Involved in the cow protection movement, the group is affiliated with the right-wing Hindutva paramilitary organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and is a member of the Sangh Parivar.<ref name="HC">Guha, Ramachandra (31 July 2016). "RSS' India model comes to Gujarat". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 31 July 2016.</ref> It regularly engages in vigilante violence against minorities, primarily Muslims and Dalits. It was founded in 2012 by Pawan Pandit.<ref>Salam, Ziya Us (2019). Lynch Files: The Forgotten Saga of Victims of Hate Crime. SAGE Publications India. p. 57. ISBN 9789353282202.</ref>

History

Background

Main article: Cow protection movement

The cow has long been regarded as sacred in Hinduism. However, in modern India, the promotion of cow protection, through the cow protection movement, arises more from the exclusivist and antagonistic, Hindu fundamentalist, and caste-based aspects of Hindutva, a Hindu nationalist ideology, than from the principle of ahimsa (transl. Non-violence) or genuine religious devotion.

Such a point of honour in our national life is none else but Mother Cow, the living symbol of the Mother Earth — that deserves to be the sole object of devotion and worship. To stop forthwith any onslaught on this particular point of our national honour, and to foster the spirit of devotion to the motherland, [a] ban on cow slaughter should find topmost priority in our programme of national renaissance in Swaraj.

— M. S. Golwalkar<ref name="HC" />

Establishment

The BGRD was established by Pawan Pandit in 2012. Its members, known as "Gau Rakshaks", are predominantly Brahmins.<ref name="HC" /> In 2015, a member of the group was appointed to the cattle protection state committee in Punjab, strengthening the group's influence.<ref name="Reuters">"Indian Cattle Protection State Committee appointed in Punjab". Dainik Bhaskar. 3 July 2015.</ref>

Activities

Considered to be a vigilante paramilitary organisation,<ref>"India: 'Cow Protection' Spurs Vigilante Violence". Human Rights Watch. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2023.</ref> the BGRD has a Gau Commando Force, involving vigilantes patrolling state borders for people smuggling cows and conducting raids on slaughterhouses.<ref>"Bringing the cows home". Business Line. 10 March 2018.</ref> The organisation is regularly involved in anti-Muslim and anti-Dalit violence.<ref name=":0">"Emboldened by Modi's ascent, India's cow vigilantes deny Muslims their livelihood". Reuters. 6 November 2017.</ref><ref name=":1">"Beatings for the Publicity 'In the Name of the Cow'". NDTV. 28 July 2016. Archived from the original on 4 August 2016.</ref> Despite credible evidence, many of the accused have faced minimal legal consequences. Furthermore, the police often coordinates and works with the group.<ref>Malhotra, Kshitij (19 July 2016). "Go for gau-raksha: Haryana police to work with cow vigilantes". Newslaundry.</ref> The group itself has been criticised by many for its engagement in vigilante policing.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>""Vigilantes have no Role Here", Comments the Hindustan Times". Hindustan Times. 25 July 2016.</ref><ref>"'A cow's life is more precious than a human being's'". Rediff. 11 April 2017.</ref>

See also

• Cow vigilante violence in India
• Hindu terrorism

External links

• bgrd.org (in English)