More slaughtered cows begin to surface in Delhi as Lok Sabha elections draw close, writes Mohammed Ataur Rahman.

Election season has turned out to be an extremely dangerous period for cows in Delhi. Once again, slaughtered cows have begun to appear in public places. This is a familiar pattern that emerges soon before elections. Naturally, as Lok Sabha polls draw nearer, we expect to see this macabre drama more often.

Earlier this week several slaughtered cows were found, smeared in mud, blood and dung in the Dera area under Mehrauli police station on the outskirts of Delhi. As expected, villagers were angry when they witnessed the scene. Two policemen were hurt in a shower of stones pelted by the villagers.

Many angered Hindus prefer to vote for a certain party, and nothing is more sure to provoke their anger than the sight of slaughtered cows, desecrated temples, and persecuted Hindus. The last of these issues was raised by Varun Gandhi, who also used hateful and threatening language against Muslims in Pilibhit. The cases of “persecution” as claimed by him, turned out to be false. However, there is no harm in trying to enrage Hindus against Muslims at poll time.

Similar incidents were recorded before the assembly polls in Bhalaswa area of north-west Delhi, where chopped carcases of 45 cows were placed at different locations. Besides these seven more slaughtered cows were found in Rohini. Another five were found in Jasola village of south Delhi, some of them in temples.

Now, the point is who does it? Muslims? The only problem is that if Muslims slaughter an animal, they do so for eating its flesh, not to throw it in public places, nor to offer it to deities in Hindu temples. In any case Muslims don’t slaughter cows in Delhi and in most parts of India because it is legally prohibited. It is not prohibited in Kerala and West Bengal, and Muslims are free to eat cow meat as anybody else is in those states.

In Delhi and in rest of India outside Kerala and West Bengal, Muslims eat buffalo meat, not beef. Then, who does it? of course, those who hope to make electoral gains out of injured Hindu feelings.

Finally, it is for the administration to nip this mischief in the bud as quickly as possible. Even the police have expressed the fear that some people may try to take political mileage out of it.