The Politics of Meat and Meat Eaters in India

Just recently, on a Wednesday evening, as i was sipping tea at my favourite tea stall after a running workout at the nearby Jayamahal Park, a Goods-Auto driver asked me, when was the Festival Day. I looked at him quizzically and almost instantaneously realized he was asking me if Bakrid was tomorrow. Well, my favourite tea stall is in a predominantly Muslim area, and i was also sporting a beard, as i usually do these days. I guess that was reason enough for him to think that i was a Muslim. Besides there was also this large goat tied to the No-Parking Post adjoining the tea stall.

"Its on Friday" i replied back in Kannada, recalling an earlier news-byte i heard earlier on the telly about Friday the 25th of September being declared a holiday by the State government. I didnt care to admit im not a Muslim.He grinned and we both took our tea cups and got lost in our own worlds.

Actually this is quite a common occurrence in my life. People who come to the park for an evening stroll , and even those who meet me often greet me with a Khuda hafis or a Salaam-Aleikum.
Being an Indian, for me , its really no matter what your religion is when it comes to greeting and being greeted by your fellow men. 
Last year we got new neighbours, and the first time I spoke to the Uncle,was because of a particular flower that was growing in our small garden patch, which used to bloom only once a year, and he wanted to use it for  Puja. I obliged, without even a moments hesitation or checking with my Dad who carefully maintains the patch, even has he was left wondering what happened to the plant the next day.
Such incidents though trivial in nature, are evidence of the much deeper context of brotherhood and love that exist in the hearts and minds of all Indians, separated on religious lines, yet united in our goals and dreams of living a happy God-centered life. 
It is a truism that most religions are only superficially similar and fundamentally different, but the amazing thing about the pluralistic vision of our founding fathers, is that India is now one of the most vibrant democracies in the world, a notion that is heralded by all world leaders today.

The recent lynching of a poor man in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh over him having committed sacrilege by eating Beef makes me very sad, as this incident, just like the Godhra massacre, has now been politically vitiated, separating the best of friends, and dividing the unity of the people right down the middle. It is but natural to expect devout Hindus to be displeased when their religious sentiments are violated, and yet there is no voice of reason in the majority community that looks to overlook the insult and try to mend fences. In such an instance, the silence of the leadership was deafening until our Honorable President, and suave Prime Minister both have come out with statements asking all parties to maintain calm,and fight the poverty of the country , not each other.
What the Prime Minister is attempting is a bold idea, in trying to change the narrative of the country from that of focusing on one- upmanship and pettiness to one of  unfettered development and selfless service of the motherland. In his defense, with his bachelor status and his work ethic, he is setting the standard for all to follow, but yet he remains non-commital of reigning in extremist forces, which can only be presumed to be due to the fear of a political backlash.
The sincere hope is that sense will prevail, law and order will once again return to the affected realms, and the twitter storms and heated television debates will move on to more altruistic themes. Until then , may God have mercy on our land, as its people longingly look to the heavens for their moment under the sun.
Jai Hind!