'Not against Hindus eating non-veg as I don't want division, but cows are...'

Banker by day and vocal advocate for the Hindu way of life by night, Kanpur's Vaibhav Tripathi is engaged in a long-standing battle – a battle against cow slaughter.

"No, I do not advocate the government dictating your eating habits, but it cannot be overlooked that cows are sacred to us (Hindus). From Kamdhenu to Nandi, they are revered. A cow is like a universal mother to us, and its slaughter for meat should be banned completely," said Tripathi.

An influential Twitter (now X) personality with more than 11,000 followers, @Jayatu_sanatan, also known as Vaibhav, can often be seen on busy streets when not working, holding placards with anti-cow slaughter slogans.

"Unlike some, I never ask anyone to switch to vegetarianism. Despite being a vegetarian, I don't have an issue if people choose to eat animal meat. Hinduism is vast — even an atheist is a Hindu. Now is not the time to fight over vegetarianism or non-vegetarianism; we need to unite. However, a cow is not just another animal for us. For us, a cow is like a mother," Tripathi added.

He further elaborated, "Many people argue that plants are also living beings, so why do vegetarians eat them? However, it is crucial to note that plants and trees do not have pain consciousness like animals. Besides, fruits can grow back on the same tree even if you pluck a few. This is not the case with animals. If you cut them, that's their end."

'Our history is being labelled mythology to discredit us'

When asked about his efforts in temple restoration, Tripathi said, "A section of left-leaning historians has discredited our glorious history by calling it 'mythology.' They have also mocked our temple traditions by spreading lies. This is why I strive to rejuvenate temples. Our temples are our roots. Temples bring us together; they make us a community. All our traditions are a way to unite people."

Speaking of his love for Sanatan Dharma, he said, "It's the oldest and yet the most modern faith. I believe every child born is a Hindu; we don't have to undergo any religious obligation to become a Hindu. We are not even bound to believe in our Gods. We can put up a poster of Jesus Christ or an image of Mecca in our homes alongside Shree Ram and still be Hindu. Show me any other religion like this."

He also spoke about horrific crimes against women. "Look at the recent incident in Karnataka. A Hindu woman was murdered, cut into over 30 pieces, and stored in a refrigerator. It wasn't the first case like this. Kanhaiya Lal met the same fate. Anyone who believes their religion is supreme will always look down upon people of other religions. In our culture, no puja is complete without bowing down to Devi. There is Shakti with Shiv, Laxmi with Bhagwan Vishnu, Radha with Shyam, and Sita with Ram... We have been fighting against a foreign regressive ideology for over a thousand years now."

'Peace, but not at the cost of our protection'

When asked about communal tensions, Tripathi said, "Ideally, we would like to engage with people intellectually, but that doesn't mean we should allow others to trample upon us. Hindus should read the Quran and the Bible along with our scriptures; we need to understand their worldview better. If we don't, we will always be like horses with blinkers on."

He added, "Some people lie to us when they say that Hinduism only stands for peace. Peace shouldn't come at the cost of our protection. Every Hindu deity has a weapon of choice. If you don't believe me, learn from the Almighty."