Bovine masks to protest violence against women

At times in front of India Gate, then in a train compartment, or in a classroom and even at home: Women are seen posing for photographs wearing cow masks! These unique photographs have ignited public imagination and have become viral on social media. The brain behind this campaign is 23-year-old Calcutta photographer Sujatro Ghosh. “In India, a girl becomes a victim of rape, molestation, abuse and sexual assault every 15 minutes. Yet, the government is more concerned about the cow’s safety than a woman’s,” says Ghosh. Instead of ensuring women’s safety, a vigilante government is out to protect cows. Since this seems to be the official stance, Ghosh clicks women in cow masks and moots the provocative issue: “If a cow gets priority in all spheres of life in our country, then perhaps donning the cow mask can assure a fair chance of safety and security for the women here.” India Gate, then in a train compartment, or in a classroom and even at home: Women are seen posing for photographs wearing cow masks! These unique photographs have ignited public imagination and have become viral on social media. The brain behind this campaign is 23-year-old Calcutta photographer Sujatro Ghosh. “In India, a girl becomes a victim of rape, molestation, abuse and sexual assault every 15 minutes. Yet, the government is more concerned about the cow’s safety than a woman’s,” says Ghosh. Instead of ensuring women’s safety, a vigilante government is out to protect cows. Since this seems to be the official stance, Ghosh clicks women in cow masks and moots the provocative issue: “If a cow gets priority in all spheres of life in our country, then perhaps donning the cow mask can assure a fair chance of safety and security for the women here.”

Ghosh had been observing a sudden spur in the activities of the ultra Hindu nationalist right-wing federation of cattle protection and decided to use his art form to protest against the misplaced priorities of the powers-that-be. Recently, on a trip to New York, he procured a large number of cow masks. Later, he approached his friends and acquaintances and requested them to model for him and soon work on the project started. When he posted the photographs on Instagram, they instantly turned viral.

However, as soon as images were uploaded, Ghosh started receiving threats. People began to troll him on twitter. There were some who threatened to drag him and his models to Jumma Mosque in Delhi and sacrifice them en mass. But Ghosh remained unfazed. He chose the medium of his liking to protest against vicious nexus between religion and politics that is dragging the country towards insanity and is determined to continue with his project sincerely since it is for the greater good of the society.