Mustard alone can bring down dependence on import
UP POLICE SAID PRELIMINARY AUTOPSY FOUND NO INJURY MARKS ON THE VICTIMS
Unlike in the case of crude oil, India can pursue self-reliance in edible oil production to insulate itself from international prices. Mustard oil is the most important component of the edible oil and fats category in the CPI basket. This is also the category which has been an important driver of edible oil inflation in recent months. Statistics on production, yield and area under cultivation for mustard from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) database show that mustard has not been one of the best performing crops in Indian agriculture in the recent period. A decadal analysis of compound annual growth rate (CAGR) shows that mustard had its best performance in the 1980s and both production and area under cultivation growth actually reduced in the 2010s compared to the previous decade. There is no reason why a concerted policy focus cannot revive the performance of mustard, which may also substitute other imported vegetable oils if costs can be brought down, at least in the northern and eastern parts of the country. Perhaps Punjab, which has emerged as the epicentre of the ongoing farmers’ protests could be a good region to launch the amta-nirbharta programme for edible oils.
UNNAO: Angry relatives and local villagers on Thursday refused to let officials bury two Dalit girls found dead in a field in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, as police said a preliminary autopsy found no injuries on the victims and didn’t mention sexual assault.
Three Dalit girls, aged 13, 15 and 16, were found unconscious in a field near their home in Unnao district late on Wednesday by family members. Two of them died soon after, and the third, the oldest, was in a critical condition in a Kanpur hospital.
The Uttar Pradesh Police registered a case of murder and concealment of evidence against unknown persons, and picked up six people for questioning, including two male cousins of the victims. The families of the girls, however, demanded a federal probe, indicating they were not satisfied with the initial probe made by UP Police.
“We are sure the girls were murdered; it is common in this area,” said the mother of one of the girls. Local officials and the victims’ families faced off twice during the day. In the morning, hundreds of angry local villagers confronted officials supervising the digging of the grave and said they won’t let the administration bury the victims. In the evening, minutes after the bodies of the victims arrived after autopsy, family members threw themselves before the earth movers and said they would not allow the burial in the night because it violated their local customs.
Angry relatives and villagers on Thursday refused to let officials bury two Dalit girls found dead in a field in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, as police said a preliminary autopsy found no injuries on the victims and didn’t mention sexual assault.
Three Dalit girls, aged 13, 15 and 16, were found unconscious in a field in Unnao late on Wednesday. Two of them died soon after, and the third, the oldest, was in a critical condition in a Kanpur hospital.
The Uttar Pradesh Police, under pressure after alleged investigation lapses and forced cremation of a Dalit gang rape victim in Hathras last October, registered a case of murder and concealment of evidence against unknown persons, and picked up six people for questioning. Two of these were male cousins of the victims, and the rest were men from a neighbouring village.
The families of the girls, however, demanded a federal probe, indicating they weren’t satisfied with the initial probe and arrests by UP Police. It was also unclear why a concealment of evidence charge was included in the FIR.
“We want a CBI inquiry because our girls were murdered and we are being harassed. We have no enmity with anyone in the area and police should release our two relatives,” said the mother of one of the victims.
“We are sure the girls were murdered; it is common in this area,” said the mother of another girl. Local officials and the victims’ families faced off twice during the day.
The first was in the morning after police erected barricades at four spots, and brought in earth movers. Hundreds of local villagers confronted officials supervising the digging of graves with JCB machines and said they won’t allow the burial of victims.
“Everyone believed the police were trying to cover up the incident, and came out on the street,” said Shashi Pal, a local villager.
Their apprehension was perhaps based on how the UP Police cremated the Hathras victim in the middle of the night against the wishes of her family -- an act the Allahabad high court later described as “violation of human rights”.
Late on Thursday, the administration called back the JCB
machines, minutes after the bodies of the victims arrived in the village after autopsy.
Family members threw themselves before the machine in protest and said they would not allow the burial because it violated local customs. “The burial cannot take place at night. It will happen after my sons return to the house,” said the father of one victim.
Police said the post-mortem report couldn’t ascertain the cause of death, and the remains will be sent for forensic analysis. “The doctors found no external or internal injuries on the girls’ bodies. There is no mention of sexual assault in the medical examination reports,” said UP director general of police Hitesh Chandra Awasthi. “We are taking help of forensic experts and looking into all possibilities,” he said.
A panel of four doctors confirmed that a substance was found in the victims’ abdomen. This unidentified substance, they said, was smelly and frothy.
The report also suggested the girls ate a meal of rice and dal around six hours before they died. “Around 80 to 100 grams of undigested food was found in abdomen. Lab test will determine if the food was poisoned,” said an official aware of developments.
Family members said the girls were close friends and left together to bring fodder from a field 1.5km from their house. They bought a packet of chips from a local shop around 3.30pm. It was the last anyone saw them. Their bodies were discovered by the families around 9.30pm.
A medical bulletin by the Kanpur hospital said the third girl was in a critical but stable condition. “On primary assessment, she was found in shock, a suspected case of poisoning,” the bulletin
read.
Authorities said chief minister Yogi Adityanath took “serious note” of the incident and sought a detailed report. He directed officials to ensure proper treatment of the teenager. Awasthi said six police teams were constituted and senior officials were supervising the probe.
But the victims’ families protested at the police’s decision to interrogate relatives.
A police officer said one cousin was questioned because he was among the first people to locate the body. The second cousin was allegedly unable to explain his absence during a period of four hours on Wednesday.
A second police officer also pointed to an alleged contradiction in the statements of the victims’ kin. The brother being questioned said the girls’ hands were tied with a dupatta while the mother of another girl said the dupatta was fastened around their necks. The autopsy report found no injury marks on the neck, hand or legs.
Throughout the day, politicians, including from the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Bharatiya Janata Party and Bhim Army, thronged the village. Opposition leaders blamed the UP government and compared the incident to the gangrape in Hathras.
“The UP government is not only crushing Dalit society, but also the honour and human rights of women,” former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi tweeted. Congress leader Alka Lamba alleged the UP government was trying to stop the media. Bhim Army chief Chandrasekhar Azad demanded that the surviving girl should be airlifted to AIIMS for better treatment.
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
1 On which people sit amongst the beds? (6,4) 8 He doesn’t do much to earn his description (5) 9 Piercing noise cut an artist short (7)
10 A cry I’ll reproduce in poetic vein (7)
11 Key man in making key adjustments (5)
12 Small number take off clothing and fall asleep (3,3)
14 Fights to protect one’s property (6)
17 Stick in a sculptor as the answer (5)
19 Idealistic, upper class head Scot (7)
21 Teller - and where he may work (7)
22 Amounts of water coming from leaks (5) 23 Obligation paid to established customs (6,4)
DOWN
2 Dull are attracted by variety (7)
3 Cord I twisted into a sort of column (5) 4 Christmas present 45 inches long (6)
5 Letter or note written by devout holy man to the French (7)
6 Giant gets it in brown (5)
7 Makes another gift - on one’s behalf? (10) 8 Ethnological definition of the British Grand Prix? (6,4)
13 In fact a wild enthusiast (7)
15 A game little insect (7)
16 Insolence of the centre right is inviting disaster (6)
18 Put out what may be a plea for employment (5)
20 Do lie about being tipsy (5)