Old Conflicts in New Media Assemblages: India’s Cow Vigilantism and YouTube

Since 2014, when the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party took power, India has witnessed attacks by cow vigilantes (gaurakshaks), who have beaten up and lynched people – mostly in the Muslim community – accusing them of smuggling cows for slaughter. Although vigilantes claim to protect cows, considered sacred in Hinduism, scholars argue they are ‘shadow armies’ and ‘foot soldiers’ in a politically motivated campaign against minorities and marginalized populations. India has a long tradition of cow-related iconography, songs, and music. However, some of these forms and practices have been used by right-wing groups to further their agendas. The rise in cow vigilantism has been accompanied by a surge in digital media that support and further violence, including music videos. This paper focuses on YouTube music videos to investigate how various sociotechnological components form a complex assemblage that enables the articulation and circulation of a highly polarized majoritarian narrative about cows.