Editing Hindutva (section)

==Hindutva violence==
{{main|Hindu terrorism}}
Since the mid-2010s, there has been a notable increase in violence motivated by Hindutva ideology, particularly towards Muslims,<ref>{{cite journal |last=Ramachandran |first=S. |date=2020 |title=Hindutva Violence in India: Trends and Implications |journal=Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=15–20 |jstor=26918077}}</ref> and includes acts of [[extremism|extremist]] terroristic violence.<ref name="Gatade pawns">{{cite journal |last=Gatade |first=S. |date=2014 |title=Pawns In, Patrons Still Out: Understanding the Phenomenon of Hindutva Terror |journal=[[Economic and Political Weekly]] |volume=49 |issue=13 |pages=36–43 |jstor=24479356}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Bidwai |first=P. |date=2008 |title=Confronting the Reality of Hindutva Terrorism |journal=[[Economic and Political Weekly]] |volume=43 |issue=47 |pages=10–13 |jstor=40278200}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |first=Runa |last=Das |date=2006 |title=Encountering Hindutva, interrogating religious nationalism and (En)gendering a Hindu patriarchy in India's nuclear policies |journal=International Feminist Journal of Politics |volume=8 |issue=3 |pages=370–393 |doi=10.1080/14616740600792988 |s2cid=142800345 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14616740600792988 |access-date=17 May 2023 |archive-date=4 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504120030/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14616740600792988 |url-status=live }}</ref> This has principally been perpetrated by or has implicated members, or alleged members, of Hindu nationalist organizations such as the RSS or [[Abhinav Bharat]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://scroll.in/article/759508/hindutva-terror-cases-nia-on-the-backfoot-as-apex-court-questions-complicity-charges|title=Hindutva terror cases: NIA on the backfoot as apex court questions complicity charges|first=Vipin|last=Pubby|website=Scroll.in|date=4 October 2015|access-date=17 May 2023|archive-date=26 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526191119/https://scroll.in/article/759508/hindutva-terror-cases-nia-on-the-backfoot-as-apex-court-questions-complicity-charges|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="deepsaffron">{{cite news |author=Christophe Jaffrelot |title=A running thread of deep saffron |newspaper=The Indian Express |date=29 January 2009 |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/a-running-thread-of-deep-saffron/416409/ |access-date=2014-11-17 |archive-date=8 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708193004/http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/a-running-thread-of-deep-saffron/416409 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Gatade saffron terror">{{cite news |author=Subhash Gatade |title=Saffron terror |newspaper=Himal |date=October 2007 |url=http://old.himalmag.com/component/content/article/1340-saffron-terror.html |access-date=16 December 2014 |archive-date=26 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526191105/http://old.himalmag.com/component/content/article/1340-saffron-terror.html }}</ref> The violence has also been condoned by the BJP politicians and used as an electoral strategy to garner support from the far-right Hindu population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why the BJP Won't – and Can't – Give Up on Hindutva as an Electoral Strategy |url=https://thewire.in/communalism/bjp-hindutva-karnataka-election |access-date=2023-07-27 |website=The Wire |archive-date=27 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727162210/https://thewire.in/communalism/bjp-hindutva-karnataka-election |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The politics of Hindutva in India |url=https://www.iiss.org/publications/strategic-comments/2020/hindutva-politics-india |access-date=2023-07-27 |website=IISS |language=en |archive-date=27 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727162209/https://www.iiss.org/publications/strategic-comments/2020/hindutva-politics-india |url-status=live }}</ref> The veneration of cows as deities and restrictions on meat consumption have also been used by to justify violence against [[Muslim]]s, [[Christian]]s, [[Dalit]]s, and lower-caste Hindus.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Shakuntala |first=Banaji |date=2018 |title=Vigilante Publics: Orientalism, Modernity and Hindutva Fascism in India |journal=Javnost - the Public: Journal of the European Institute for Communication and Culture |volume=25 |issue=4 |pages=333–350 |doi=10.1080/13183222.2018.1463349 |s2cid=149962714 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

===Cow vigilantism===
{{Further|Cow vigilante violence in India}}
[[File:India cow slaughter map.svg|thumb|Cow slaughter laws in various states in India]]

There has been a rise in the number of incidents of cow vigilantism since the election of a BJP majority in the [[Parliament of India]] in 2014. The frequency and severity of cow vigilante violence has been described as "unprecedented".<ref name=PRI>{{cite journal|title=Sacred Slaughter: An Analysis of Historical, Communal, and Constitutional Aspects of Beef Bans in India|journal=Politics, Religion & Ideology|volume=17|issue=4|author=Radha Sarkar}}</ref> [[Human Rights Watch]] has reported that there has been a surge in such violence since 2015.<ref name="HRW1">{{cite web|title=India: 'Cow Protection' Spurs Vigilante Violence|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/04/27/india-cow-protection-spurs-vigilante-violence|date=27 April 2017|access-date=14 March 2022|archive-date=19 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019165525/https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/04/27/india-cow-protection-spurs-vigilante-violence|url-status=live}}</ref> The surge is attributed to the recent rise in [[Hindu nationalism]] in India.<ref name=PRI/><ref name=JobLoss>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/india-modi-politics-meat-idUSKBN18P129|title=Cattle trade ban to halt beef exports, lead to job losses|date=29 May 2017|access-date=6 July 2019|via=www.reuters.com|newspaper=Reuters|archive-date=5 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805104533/https://www.reuters.com/article/india-modi-politics-meat-idUSKBN18P129|url-status=live}}</ref> Many vigilante groups say they feel "empowered" by the victory of the Hindu nationalist BJP in the 2014 election.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news|first=Soutik|last=Biswas|work=BBC News|title=Why the humble cow is India's most polarising animal|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34513185|access-date=14 March 2022|archive-date=31 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331120935/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34513185|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Risk>{{cite news|author=Ian Marlow and Bibhudatta Pradhan|title=Cow-Saving Vigilantes Are a Sign of Rising Political Risk in India|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-04-19/shuttered-abattoir-a-sign-of-rising-political-risk-in-india|access-date=14 March 2022|archive-date=20 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420144758/https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-04-19/shuttered-abattoir-a-sign-of-rising-political-risk-in-india|url-status=live}}</ref>

According to a [[Reuters]] report, there were 63 attacks in India between 2010 and mid 2017 resulting in 28 deaths, 24 of them Muslim, and 124 injuries. Most attacks occurred after Narendra Modi took office in 2014.<ref name=reuters20102017>{{cite news|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/india-protests-muslims-beef-idINKBN19J2BV|title=Protests held across India after attacks against Muslims|work=Reuters|date=28 June 2017|access-date=29 June 2017|archive-date=9 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009014122/https://in.reuters.com/article/india-protests-muslims-beef-idINKBN19J2BV}}</ref>

Many BJP states have passed laws against cattle slaughter such as Gujarat.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/gujarat-to-punish-cow-slaughter-with-14-year-jail/articleshow/57952691.cms|title=Gujarat to punish cow slaughter with 14-year jail – Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2 April 2017|archive-date=1 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401010727/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/gujarat-to-punish-cow-slaughter-with-14-year-jail/articleshow/57952691.cms|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-39454607|title=Gujarat: India state approves life term for killing cows|date=31 March 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=2 April 2017|archive-date=2 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402171205/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-39454607|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/gujarat-to-tighten-cow-slaughter-law/article17754329.ece|title=Gujarat to tighten cow slaughter law|last=Langa|first=Mahesh|work=The Hindu|access-date=2 April 2017|archive-date=3 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603183517/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/gujarat-to-tighten-cow-slaughter-law/article17754329.ece|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/life-term-for-killing-cows-cm-vijay-rupani-says-want-vegetarian-gujarat-slaughterhouses-cow-protection-4594523/|title=Life term for killing cows, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani says want 'vegetarian' Gujarat|date=1 April 2017|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2 April 2017|archive-date=1 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401182503/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/life-term-for-killing-cows-cm-vijay-rupani-says-want-vegetarian-gujarat-slaughterhouses-cow-protection-4594523/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 6 June 2017, Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister [[Yogi Adityanath]] directed the state police to take action against cow slaughter and cattle smuggling under the [[National Security Act (India)|National Security Act]] and the Gangster Act,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/lucknow/cattle-smuggling-slaughter-to-be-punishable-under-nsa-gangsters-act-in-up/story-y7yzwXPWtMvu8aj0UzPArJ.html|title=Cattle smuggling, slaughter in UP now punishable under National Security Act|date=6 June 2017|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=8 June 2017|archive-date=8 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608100135/http://www.hindustantimes.com/lucknow/cattle-smuggling-slaughter-to-be-punishable-under-nsa-gangsters-act-in-up/story-y7yzwXPWtMvu8aj0UzPArJ.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and in (2021) [[Assam Assembly]] passed a bill that prohibits the slaughter or sale of beef within a {{Convert|5|km|adj=on}} radius of any temple. The legislation seeks to ensure that permission for slaughter is not granted to areas that are predominantly inhabited by Hindu, Jain, Sikh and other non-beef eating communities or places that fall within a {{Convert|5|km|adj=on}} radius of a temple, satra and any other institution as may be prescribed by the authorities. Exemptions, however, might be granted for certain religious occasions.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-14|title=Assam bans sale of beef within 5 km radius of any temple, passes Cattle Preservation Bill|url=https://zeenews.india.com/india/assam-bans-sale-of-beef-within-5-km-radius-of-any-temple-passes-cattle-preservation-bill-2384702.html|access-date=2021-08-14|website=Zee News|language=en|archive-date=14 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314094331/https://zeenews.india.com/india/assam-bans-sale-of-beef-within-5-km-radius-of-any-temple-passes-cattle-preservation-bill-2384702.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-08-14|title=Assam Assembly passes cow protection Bill|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/assam-assembly-passes-cow-protection-bill/article35905184.ece|access-date=2021-08-14|issn=0971-751X|archive-date=14 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314092927/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/assam-assembly-passes-cow-protection-bill/article35905184.ece|url-status=live}}</ref>