NEW DELHI (AP) —In India Hindu religious extremism is at its peak showing the worst condition subcontinent had ever witnessed yet as it has been appealed to hug cows on valentine’s day this time seems hilarious and so illogical not only the statements but the narrative of the state also. India’s government-run animal welfare department has appealed to citizens to mark Valentine’s Day this year not as a celebration of romance but as “Cow Hug Day” to better promote Hindu values.
The Animal Welfare Board of India said Wednesday that “hugging cows will bring emotional richness and increase individual and collective happiness.”
Devout Hindus, who worship cows as holy, say the Western holiday goes against traditional Indian values.
In recent years, Hindu hardliners have raided shops in Indian cities, burned cards and gifts, and chased hand-holding couples out of restaurants and parks, saying that Valentine’s Day promotes promiscuity. Hardline political groups like Shiv Sena and Bajrang Dal say such actions pave the way to reassert Hindu identity.
Young educated Indians irrespective of their religion typically spend the holiday crowding parks and restaurants, exchanging gifts and holding parties to celebrate like any other Indian festival, especially since India began the process of economic liberalization in the early 1990s. The nationalist Hindu government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is pushing a Hindu agenda for religious supremacy at the expense of a secular state known for its diversity. Hindus make up about 80% of the population of about 1.4 billion people. Muslims make up 14% of him, with Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains making up the majority of the remaining 6%.
Cows have long been imbued with the spirit of Hinduism and, like mothers, are deeply revered by many. Most states in India have banned the slaughter of cows. The Animal Welfare Commission called for people to go outside and hug the cows on February 14.
Political analyst Niranjan Mukhopadhyay said the message was “completely insane. It defies all logic.”
“Unfortunately, this is what has been officially approved,” he added. “This erases another line between state and religion and is very depressing. Now nations are doing what political and religious groups fought for. ”
