From the author's portfolio, a cow sighted in Brighton, England.On landing in any country with his notebook and pen, V. S. Naipaul wants to know what the people are talking about. If he were to come to India today, he would find the national discourse dominated by the cow.
Many people demand that the cow be declared the “national animal”. Many more publicly address the cow as mother (Gau Mata) and deliver fiery speeches against those who do not consider themselves to be the cow’s children. Vigilante groups roam the street attacking those suspected of butchering the cow or eating beef. Transporting cows in trucks has become hazardous. A social media army has gone to war against cow slaughter and beef consumption.
The docile cow is credited with divine powers. It has beaten Trump in its polarising power. The cow has highlighted religious, regional, social and cultural differences. It has brought the issues of human rights and democracy to the fore. Some humans have been killed in the name of the cow.
