At a Dahi Handi event organised by local Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, far-right influencer Harsha Thakur incited violence against cattle transporters and encouraged cow vigilantism. She told the crowd, “One day you should just do gau rakshan; one night go and topple the vehicles of those butchers! If you want to be a thug, be a Hindutva thug; at least then you can proudly say you are protecting your religion and women.”