The problem when societies, or individuals for that matter, start feeling superior to everyone else

And we think here in New York State we have problems with a state-imposed curriculum?

According to a report in the New York Times, India’s students had been studying hard for a big test on cows, as part of a new government-imposed curriculum, until a barrage of ridicule and protest forced the exam’s abrupt postponement. The curriculum, devised by the National Cow Commission established by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government in 2019, is seen as a move to push Hindu ideology, which regards cows as sacred, thereby undermining the country’s constitutionally guaranteed secular character.

The Times writes that “since Mr. Modi came to power in 2014, his party has embarked on a steady, intense, and divisive campaign to make India more of an overtly Hindu state,” in keeping with a citizenry that is 80 percent Hindu. The government has changed official place names to Hindu from Muslim and a little over a year ago, passed a citizenship law that openly discriminated against Muslims, provoking nationwide protests.

But many Indians have simply refused to be cowed. “This is very weird, this exam,” said Komal Srivastava, an official for the India Knowledge and Science Society, a nonprofit educational group. “They can say anything about cows: that radiation is reduced by its dung, which is unscientific. If we want to teach kids about cows, it has to be scientific knowledge and not mythology.” That bit about protection from radioactivity is surely the most positive thing anyone’s said about cow manure in millennia, at least since the Pelishtim opted for the dung of Yitzchak’s cattle over Avimelech’s gold and silver (Bereishis Rabbah 64:7) — and maybe now we know why.

According to the reports, since Mr. Modi came to power, Hindu nationalist lynch mobs have killed dozens of people — mostly Muslims or other minorities — in the name of protecting cows.

The National Cow Commission headed by a surgeon named Vallabhbhai Kathiria, lists on its website such objectives as “proper implementation of laws with respect to prohibition of slaughter and/or cruelty to cows. Many Indian states…ban the slaughter of cattle.” Which is probably a good thing, or else the kosher catering industry might have been as hard-hit as the sheitel business was.

The new course, designed by Dr. Kathiria and his fellow cowhands, includes material on topics such as “cow entrepreneurship… bioenergy from cow dung… medicines from cow urine, the concept of promoting cow tourism….” And in a way, it makes sense, too, because if bulls are going to be allowed to be entrepreneurs with their own businesses — china shops are a popular choice — they ought to be able to spend the profits to go touring abroad too. Although there’s always the risk that when they do, they’ll find out the grass is greener on the other side.

One final topic covered in the curriculum, according to the article, is “the difference between Indian and foreign cows.” That refers to the claim made in the study materials that “indigenous cows were emotional toward humans and other living beings, but that in foreign cows, ‘none of these feelings were exhibited.’ Indian cows are ‘alert’ and ‘strong,’ the material said, but foreign cows are ‘lazy.’ ”

Now, it happens to be true that the cow breed prevalent in India, known as the zebu, does have several advantages over the cow breeds that predominate in the West. The zebu is more tolerant of heat and drought, and more resistant to some diseases, though it produces less milk.

But, you see, that’s the problem when societies, or individuals for that matter, start feeling superior to everyone else. It’s not enough that their hometown heifers are in fact more resilient and impervious to disease. Now they insist their cows are more sensitive too. (I would declare this udderly ridiculous, but I’m concerned about going overboard in milking this topic.)

According to the Times, the test was not made mandatory, “although the Indian government encouraged students — in fact, all citizens — to study the material and take the exam as an extracurricular activity.” Nevertheless, by the time the test was postponed last week, some 500,000 people had already registered to take it, including many living abroad.

But why would such large numbers of people choose to take an optional test about cows, sacred or otherwise? Perhaps because, as the article continues, “…the government was planning to issue a certificate that could be helpful to the students’ future careers. The commission also dangled prize money for top scorers.”

So that’s it. It’s all about the moo-lah. —

Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 851. Eytan Kobre may be contacted directly at kobre@mishpacha.com