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Reported By: Kakoli Mukherjee Edited By: Apoorva Misra News18.com Last Updated: August 05, 2024, 22:22 IST Telangana, India A group of activists has written a letter to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to withdraw the decision to partner with Akshay Patra Foundation for providing free breakfast and midday meals to 28,000 school children in Kodangal. The 14 signatories of the letter wrote that they are “deeply concerned with the attempts at moving towards a centralised kitchen model in partnership with private and religious organisations, rather than strengthening the current system of local communities and women cooking in schools, in a decentralised manner”. They are concerned that Akshay Patra Foundation, which is a part of the Hare Krishna Charitable Foundations, might impose their own dietary restrictions on the children. The letter read: “Religious organisations such as the Hare Rama-Hare Krishna Foundation often have their own agenda and opinions on food that are forced upon the local communities. For instance, this foundation in Karnataka refused to include onion-garlic in the food as these are believed to be not ‘satvik’. Furthermore, these organisations do not serve eggs and meat due to their religious beliefs. We have learnt of similar experiences from Jharkhand as well, and the same is being resisted by many Adivasi students.” BRS leader Dr RS Praveen Kumar had raised the same concern a few days ago. Taking to X, he wrote: “Please think twice on giving contract of food preparation to organisations like Akshyapatra. Will this proposed centralised kitchen run by akshayapatra involve cooking meat dishes as well? Meat/fish/egg, in addition to leafy vegetables and cereals, is an important part of diet as it is a rich source of protein and vitamins according to established science. I have nothing against Akshay Patra, but I am certainly against imposing an alien food habit on poor and voiceless kids, no matter however ‘satvik’ it is [sic].” The letter echoed the sentiment. “As you know, inclusion of eggs in mid-day meals and anganwadi centres in the state has been appreciated all over the country. This not only makes the meals nutritionally far superior but also more popular among the people of the state. In a state like Telangana, onion, garlic, eggs etc. must necessarily be integral to the diet of children, who would like to consume them.” They have requested that instead of partnering with a centralised kitchen like Akshay Patra, the government should work towards strengthening the decentralised cooking model. This will not only create employment opportunities for local communities, including women, but also enable kids to have meals based on their taste preferences. In support of this, they quoted the National Food Security Act, 2013. They wrote that the Act states: “Every school, referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1), and anganwadi shall have facilities for cooking meals, drinking water and sanitation” (5.2) with an exception only being allowed in urban areas to include facilities for centralised kitchens, where required. This understanding was arrived at, as a result of a number of discussions and deliberations, both within and outside Parliament.” Read here

Anita Pinheiro Published on:  02 Aug 2024, 1:46 pm The shift to alternative proteins is driven by the goal of 'saving the planet' through adopting 'sustainable diets' to mitigate the effects of industrial livestock systems. Generally, three types of foods are seen as possible substitutes for animal-based products: (a) plant-based alternatives such as meat substitutes, (b) lab-produced cultured meat, milk, and egg products, and (c) edible insects. In India, there are around 70 smart protein companies registered. Ironically, current discussions emphasise minimising or even eliminating most livestock systems, regardless of their local socio-environmental importance. What is the broader perspective here? Are all livestock systems as detrimental as industrialized ones? How can we incorporate justice aspects into the transition to alternative proteins in India? Missing from dominant narratives The dominant narrative that (all) livestock is bad for the planet ignores important aspects of non-industrial livestock systems such as traditional and small-scale livestock keeping. The main problem with discussions about the shift to alternative proteins is the focus on what (product transition) needs to change rather than how (process transition) we should implement the change. Lack of scrutiny of alternative proteins: The environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions of alternative protein production have not been examined as closely as those of livestock farming, particularly in terms of raw material procurement, production, processing and transportation. It's important to understand the hidden and displaced effects of alternative protein production through teleconnectedness. Soy, for instance, is a key ingredient in animal feed for both industrial livestock and alternative proteins like meat and dairy substitutes. The extensive deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon for soy production for Western animal feed has been heavily scrutinised, whereas similar scrutiny is lacking in discussions on alternative protein transitions. This doesn't imply that all alternative proteins are environmentally harmful. Both livestock systems and alternative protein sources are diverse, meaning their environmental impacts can vary. Therefore, it's simplistic to label all livestock as harmful or all alternative proteins as beneficial for the environment. Simplistic binary categorisation exacerbating social injustices : Livestock plays a crucial role in nutrition across various local and socio-cultural settings. In India, livestock ownership is mostly household-based, particularly among marginal and small-scale farmers. Both rural and urban regions in India frequently practice backyard poultry and goat rearing for nutritional and supplementary income purposes. The country's small-scale, decentralised cattle systems operate under low-intensity production. Considering India's significant issues with poverty and malnutrition, especially in disadvantaged communities, what would be the impact of a substantial decrease in animal-sourced food? When alternative protein narratives attempt to simplify by viewing livestock as a homogenous system (mainly intensive production), they diminish the importance of small-scale livestock systems for livelihood and nutrition in various socio-cultural contexts. This approach also establishes a binary of 'good food' and 'bad food' consumers, distinguishing between those who contribute to climate change and those who strive to protect the planet. This socially constructed division, based solely on livestock's greenhouse gas emissions, has significant implications for worsening food-related social inequality and injustice, particularly in India. Read more here

On April 1st 2023, newspapers reported on an incident of assault on 30th March 2023. by a group of self-appointed “cow vigilantes” led by Mr. Puneeth Kerehalli and other members of Rashtra Rakshana Pade on a group of three cattle traders in Sathanuru village, Kanakapura taluka, Ramanagara district. The attack led to the death of Mr. Idrees Pasha and injuries to his other two companions/associates, all residents of Mandya. Read the full report here

ಏಪ್ರಿಲ್ 01, 2023 ರಂದು ಸುದ್ದಿ ಪತ್ರಿಕೆಗಳು ಮಾರ್ಚ್ 30, 2023 ರಂದು ರಾಮನಗರ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಕನಕಪುರ ತಾಲ್ಲೂಕಿನ ಸಾತನೂರು ಗ್ರಾಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಪುನೀತ್ ಕೆರೆಹಳ್ಳಿ ಹಾಗೂ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರ ರಕ್ಷಣಾ ಪಡೆಯ ಸ್ವಯಂ-ಘೋಷಿತ “ಗೋರಕ್ಷಕರು” ಮೂವರು ಜಾನುವಾರು ವ್ಯಾಪಾರಿಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ನಡೆಸಿದ ಒಂದು ಹಲ್ಲೆಯ ಕುರಿತು ವರದಿ ಮಾಡಿದವು. ಇವರು ನಡೆಸಿದ ಈ ಹಲ್ಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ರಿಸ್ ಪಾಷಾ ಎಂಬುವವರು ಮರಣಕ್ಕೀ ಡಾದರೆ ಅವರ ಸಹಚರಿಗೆ ಗಾಯಗಳಾ ಗಿದ್ದವು. ಈ ಮೂವರು ಮಂಡ್ಯ ಮೂಲದವರಾಗಿದ್ದರು. ಈ ಮೇಲಿನ ಕೃತ್ಯದ ಕುರಿತು ವಕೀಲ ಸಿವಮಣಿದನ್, ಡಾ. ಸಿಲ್ವಿಯ ಕರ್ಪಗಂ, ಸಿದ್ಧಾರ್ಥ್ ಕೆ ಜೆ, ಮತ್ತು ಖಾಸಿಂ ಶೋಹೈಬ್ ಖುರೇಶಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಆಲ್ ಇಂಡಿಯಾ ಜಮೈತುಲ್ ಖುರೇಶ್ (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ) ಸದಸ್ಯರ ತಂಡವು ಸತ್ಯ ಶೋಧನಾ ವರದಿಯನ್ನು ನಡೆಸಿತು. ಇದರ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಓದಿ

Suryakant Waghmore Apr 06, 2017 TOPSHOTS INDIA RELIGION HINDU COW | AFP Photo/STR If anybody said that I should die if I did not take beef tea or mutton, even on medical advice, I would prefer death. That is the basis of my vegetarianism. — Mahatma Gandhi to the London Vegetarian Society on November 20, 1931. An increase in meat consumption, intensive animal farming and growing cruelty against animals have given rise to compassion movements across the world. It should be a matter of pride, therefore, that India is among the most vegetarian countries in the world. The Sample Registration System Baseline Survey 2014 notes that close to 30% in India are vegetarians. And that the number of non-vegetarians in India has decreased from 75% in 2004 to 71% in 2014. The rate of vegetarianism is more in northwestern states as compared to the rest of India. And, urban areas are more vegetarian than their rural counterparts. Increased urbanisation could possibly mean further dwindling of non-vegetarianism, particularly in Northwest India. Pure vegetarian – all good? Some questions linger, however. For instance, how does meat become a source of contention, violence and even governmental repression in India? Is our vegetarianism based on compassion for animals? If yes, why does this lead to disgust, social distance and even violence against humans?

This opinion piece is by Dr. Sylvia Karpagam, a public health doctor, with input from other members of the Working Group on Health and Nutrition. In April 2024, the ICMR-NIN released Dietary Guidelines for Indians (DGI), selectively quoting data from the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS 2019). Instead of bringing out evidence-based dietary guidelines befitting a 106-year-old institution of national importance, they have failed to do due diligence and instead seem to have released a vegetarian dietician’s recipe booklet to enthral India’s middle class and elite. In what can only be seen as deliberate and wilful obfuscation, the DGI makes it appear like ‘severe forms of undernutrition have largely disappeared’ and only ‘subclinical manifestations of undernutrition and anaemia persist as public health issues’. Relegating ‘ghosts’ to the past It is surprising that, without any national consultation or consensus, NIN is orchestrating this position; why is there such a hurry to show India in such a good light? This seems to be in keeping with a broader agenda of erasing incriminating data to project India as a superpower where all kinds of malnutrition are relegated to a ghostly past. Several objections have already been raised to a group of researchers from India who claimed in June 2021 that their analysis of CNNS shows that anaemia is much lower than current levels – another ‘ghost’ relegated to the past! In reality, is it possible to erase the fact that even before the pandemic, data from the same CNNS shows that 36 percent of children under five in India were stunted and 33 percent underweight? Forty-two percent of children from the Scheduled tribes and 36 percent from the Scheduled castes were underweight. This was 48 percent in children from the poorest wealth quintile compared to 19 percent from the richest quintile. India ranks 111 on the Global Hunger Index (GHI)ing , with 125 being the poorest performance. Is it also possible to erase the fact that only 21 percent of children aged 6-23 months were fed an adequately diverse diet, that just six percent had received a minimum acceptable diet, and only nine percent had received iron-rich foods? In most states, cereals were the most commonly consumed food group (over 85 percent), while eggs, fish, chicken or meat were least commonly consumed ( less than five percent) among school-age children and adolescents. Read more here

Suryakant Waghmore Oct 24, 2022 Do the Vedas ban the entry of dogs into homes? We are a pure vegetarian family, can we our golden retriever only a vegetarian diet? Is it possible to make vegetarian food for dogs that fulfils their dietary requirements? Do such questions bother you? If you are the proud owner of a vegetarian dog, do you think your pet is calm and peaceful because it is a vegetarian. If such thinking is inspired because of godman Jaggi Vasudev’s plea for vegetarianism, you need some sociological insights. It was at a veterinary clinic in Athani taluka of Karnataka’s Belagavi district that I first encountered a family that wanted to raise their puppy as a vegetarian. A father (engineer) and daughter (BSc), the Hiremaths (caste) had just added a Labrador retriever puppy to their family. They were at the clinic for general advice and vaccination. Read more here

KANCHA ILAIAH SHEPHERD 01 November, 2019 “WE WOULD HAVE FELT PROUD if the Vice Chancellor has told that we were suspended because we organized Ambedkar Vardhanthi, Babri Masjid demolition day and Beef festival in the last week,” Rohith Vemula wrote in a Facebook post on 18 December 2015. A day earlier, the administration of the University of Hyderabad, where Rohith was a PhD scholar, upheld an earlier decision to suspend him and four other students for allegedly assaulting a leader of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the students’ organisation of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. All five suspended students were Dalits and members of the Ambedkar Students’ Association. On 6 December, the anniversary of BR Ambedkar’s death and the demolition of the Babri Masjid, the ASA had held an event to mark both occasions, and to publicly serve beef. This was a three-pronged blow to Hindutva politics: a celebration of a great anti-caste icon, a demonstration against the Hindu Right’s most iconic act of political violence, and an assertion of the right to freely eat the meat of the cow. It served as a forceful prelude to Rohith’s most potent political act—his tragic suicide in January 2016, leaving behind a note entitled “My birth is my fatal accident,” indicting the university authorities and the world at large for their treatment of him. The ASA at the University of Hyderabad was not the first group to hold a beef festival as an act of assertion and insurrection. In April 2011, Hyderabad’s English and Foreign Languages University saw fights break out over a beef festival organised to celebrate Ambedkar’s birth anniversary by the Dalit Adivasi Bahujan Minority Students’ Association and the Telangana Students’ Association. This festival was attacked by the ABVP. In 2012, Osmania University, also in Hyderabad, also witnessed a beef-themed food festival to mark Ambedkar’s birth, with Dalit, Shudra, Adivasi and Muslim students all participating. Here, too, members of the ABVP stormed the venue. The scholar Sambaiah Gundimeda, an alumnus of the University of Hyderabad, offers us a history of an earlier “beef stall” on the campus: The Dalit Students Union, a few months before the Sukoon Festival in 2006 … argued that the food in the stalls did not represent the cultural diversity of the university community, comprising students, teaching and non-teaching staff of the university, and was simply another manifestation of the hegemony of the upper castes and their culture. The university, as a public institution, it was further argued, should not allow its public space to be colonized by a particular culture. Instead, it should ensure that space is shared equally by every culture of the university community. In short, the cultural festival of the university should represent the many cultures of Indian society. As a step towards equality in representation, the Dalit Students Union demanded that it should be allowed to set up a beef stall in the Sukoon festival. It was argued that beef constitutes an important part of the food habits of dalits and is thus part and parcel of Dalit culture. Besides, such food culture is equally shared by Muslims and a few others from caste Hindu cultural backgrounds. The administration, the executive body of the university, was “irritated,” to quote one of the Dalit Students Union delegates, by this request and instantly denied permission for the stall on the grounds that “consumption of beef… (in the campus) creates caste and communal tensions.” Read more here

Sachin Kumar Jain (Social Researcher, Trainer and Ashoka Fellow) The article was first published in Ahara Namma Hakku In Madhya Pradesh, the politics of neglect and prohibition against children has been nurtured inside the egg. It is exactly 10 years since the debate of providing eggs in mid-day meal (in schools) and nutritious food in Anganwadis has been raging in the state. The erstwhile BJP government started with opposing eggs and when the Congress government took rein in 2018, it too silently decided to continue with the opposition. Menaces of malnutrition and high Infant Mortality continues and the political parties also seem to be adamant that they would not look at the real form of community culture with logical viewpoint, but through prism of communal politics and higher-caste exploitative attitude. Opposing the provision of eggs in nutritive food programmes proves that the ruling class does not want to establish a feeling of co-existence with the deprived sections. An anecdote in this context is pertinent to be shared. In October 2010, during a discussion with a team of Asian Human Rights Commission, erstwhile chairperson of the MP State Commission for Protection of Children’s Rights (SCPCR) and retired Justice Sheela Khanna had suggested ‘lakhs of children (in MP) are malnourished. It s not possible to treat all of them at Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs), therefore, Brahmin priest should be appointed at these centres. They can make birth charts of the children and those children who have potential to become good citizens should be treated.’ Scientific studies have proven that children are unable to come out of cycle of malnutrition due to imbalance of protein, micronutrients and fats in their diet. There is a provision of 12 to 18 gm protein intake in the nutritious diet under various programmes and schemes including the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). But due to the inherent modal shortcomings in the programmes involving Take Home Ration and Hot Cooked Meal, children are constantly battling deficiency of quality protein, micronutrients and fats. Since in Madhya Pradesh organizations and companies have been made contractors for supply of nutritious diet, there is a feeling that entry of private companies might get difficult if eggs are included as an alternative in the food. However, it is a proven fact that inclusion of eggs in diet, 85% of malnourished children who do not suffer from any infection or particular ailment could be treated without help of any medical intervention or expert. Why Eggs are Important? Bigger section of the society has a culture of non-vegetarian food and it has been a main source of protein in their life for thousands of years. Due to increasing control of State and Capitalists over natural resources, these communities started becoming deprived of their food and forced to live with hunger and malnutrition. Forest Dwelling communities never went to the State with a demand to start programs like ICDS or PDS. It was the Governments who started these programs to facilitate the land and forest acquisitions.  All this happened with the imperialist rule and continued after the independence. Firstly they (the forest and rural society) were made dependent on the System through the exclusionary rule making process and then Fundamentalist Politics started deciding what they will eat and what not! The provision of egg is important because it is a low-cost and locally available alternative with high Protein component with biological value of 100. The Biological Value of protein in pulses (daal) is between 60 and 70. To compensate for the quality protein in egg, children would have to be fed 20-25 almonds. Egg is also source of all vitamins except vitamin C. The amino acids in the eggs are similar to human tissues and thus human body can absorb them cent percent. Eggs are easy to cook and there are no chances of adulteration. Also monitoring of the supply stock by number is easier. If there is the will, establishing of a system of its use and distribution in nutritious food is possible. Vegetarian children could be offered fruits and fresh milk instead. During the past three decades, there were at least three occasions for policy decision in this context, but the proposal was opposed and gotten scrapped by those people who are not facing the menace of malnutrition themselves and probably never consume nutritious food under government programmes. In year 2016, the agriculture ministry of GoI wrote to the Government of Madhya Pradesh, recommending inclusion of eggs in nutritious food programme. The erstwhile minister Kusum Mehedale had then advocated inclusion of fish in the diet. Reality of Supplementary Nutrition Program in MP MP has a provision of providing hot cooked nutritious food to the children in age group of 3 to 6 years through women self-help groups (SHGs). But the state government, especially the women and child development department, is making all efforts to not allow these SHGs to function effectively, so that the narrative of only company-run centralized system of supply of food could be build. The women in SHGs get barely Rs 1000 as honorarium for cooking nutritious food for 50 children for 22-25 days in a month and have to pay about 20% ‘cut’ to get the payment for the food raw material. Also they have to face insulting behavior. In such situation, these women SHGs function under the duress of bureaucracy and political system. Huge corruption and profiteering has come to fore in the Take Home Ration programme (supply of ready to eat packaged food for children between six months and three years and pregnant/lactating mothers). It was found that three joint venture companies with private holdings were keeping 30-35% of the allotted funds under the scheme as their margin, right under the nose of the government. Even a look at nutrition standards of the current food supply suggests excess of carbohydrates. If provision of eggs is made, the profiteering companies are likely to lose the supply orders. The challenge of malnutrition in Madhya Pradesh In such situation, the most impacted group is that of children below five years of age and pregnant women. According to the fourth round of National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4 of 2015-16), 42% children below five years of age are afflicted by stunting while 42.8% are underweight. Similarly, 25.8% children are suffering from wasting. Figures also show that 18.6% children are afflicted with severe stunting, 9.8% face severe malnutrition, while 68.9% suffer from anaemia. It is worth mentioning that in MP, the level of malnutrition increases as the age of child increases after birth. The NFHS-4 figures show that only 18.1% children below six months of age suffered from stunting but the figure went up to 41.6% in the age group of 12-17 months and 48.7% in age group of 36-47 months. Similarly, 29.2% children below six months were underweight, but the figure went up to 45.9% in age group of 36-47 months. The same survey shows that in MP only 37.9% children start getting supplementary diet (over and above breastfeeding) at the age of six months and only 35.7% children get supplementary diet two to three times along with breast feeding. This means that with growing age, starvation and malnutrition increases. The latest Sample Registration Survey (May, 2019) figures show that MP has the highest infant mortality rate (47 per 1000 live births) and there was not even a single point drop when compared to report released in 2017. Without doubt there is a direct relation between the high level of malnutrition and very high infant mortality rate in Madhya Pradesh. Communal politics overshadows nutrition security of children It is absolutely necessary in such situation that a system of providing diet with proper protein, micronutrients and fats to the children below five years of age could be established with a role of community and families of children in monitoring. There is no doubt that there is need to strengthen the efforts of mitigating malnutrition by providing quality nutritious diet through Anganwadis. Given the conditions in Madhya Pradesh, the Right to Food Campaign had in February, 2009 called upon the state government to include eggs as an alternative in the nutritious food programmes (through ICDS and Mid-Day Meal Scheme), so that nutrition rights of the children were ensured. A presentation of scientific outlook in this regard was also presented before the erstwhile women and child development minister and officers. It was the time when the process of setting up the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Child Health and Nutrition Mission was underway and the effort was to ensure that eggs as an alternative should become a part of the nutritious food programme at policy level. The Campaign has always taken a clear stand that the alternative of eggs should be offered to only those children who have no religious or cultural impediments in accepting it. The availability of eggs was to be an alternative and not mandatory. The Jain community in MP had then strongly opposed the move and the erstwhile CM had announced on the basis of ‘personal religious sentiments’ that MP was a ‘vegetarian state’ in cultural context and thus children in his state would not get the alternative of having eggs. Despite being the chief minister, he did not know that the biggest chunk of tribal populace (16 Million) resided in MP. In all 89 development blocks are tribal-dominated and there are 30 Million more people who come from deprived sections, have high levels of malnutrition and do not have any problem in consuming eggs. On one side, the Hindutva-oriented government was against eggs and Brahmin and Jain communities also want to project vegetarianism as universal culture. But the paradox is that despite the deeply negative impact of alcohol on society, health and economy, these religious groups do not oppose those policies of the government where 20% increase in consumption of liquor is targeted every year. The Government earns Rs 15,000 crore revenue from liquor sale as 29.6% men and 1.6% women in MP consume liquor. According to the Sample Registration System baseline survey of 2014, in MP, 51.1% males and 47.7% females are non-vegetarians. However, due to religious reasons, a big chunk of population is known to hide its food preferences. An important decision for the 4.5 Million malnourished children was rejected by the Chief Minister on the basis of ‘personal likes and dislikes’ by saying that since he is strict vegetarian himself, there would be arrangement for eggs at Anganwadis. Later in year 2015, the erstwhile principal secretary of women and child development department, JN Kansotia moved a proposal on inclusion of eggs as alternative in food served at Anganwadi, at a cabinet meeting of state government. But the ‘upper caste’ ministers once again raised objection to the proposal and it was rejected. These developments make it clear that the influence of Brahmins and higher castes is so deep on Indian politics that there is no place left for the cultural identity, choices, needs and priorities of the other 90% section of the society. Even the 70 tribal and Scheduled Caste MLAs (from both BJP and Congress) have been made so weak that they have been unable to put across their opinions. It has become clear that out of 230 MLAs in the state, the rights to take decision on policy and cultural aspects of governance rests only with 10 influential MLAs who represent influential communities like Brahmins and Jains. As every year, 80,000 to 90,000 children below five years of age die in Madhya Pradesh, the government at this point announced that milk would be distributed in Anganwadis to fulfill the need of proteins. The Anganwadis were to be supplied with milk powder packets. The powder was to be mixed with water and given to children. However, the lack of taste, poor quality of available water and lack of budget led the scheme to be discontinued. With this experiment, the government proved it was totally unaware of the societal trends, ground reality of government system and intricacies of malnutrition menace. Traditionally, tribal communities do not consume milk and are non-vegetarian society at large. The developmental policies during past four to five decades deprived them of their nutrition sources. They were displaced from their lands and jungles and made to depend on market for their food. Poverty ensured that they could not consume non-vegetarian food as much as earlier. Also in this duration, Hindutva elements carried out a process of ‘Hinduisation’ of the tribal communities. As a result, the menace of malnutrition only increased. Also in this period, under communal politics, Muslims and Christians were also attacked on their ways of life and food choices. For example, there is so much pressure related to shifting of slaughter houses that in Bhopal no decision on shifting of old slaughter houses is becoming possible. Experiments with eggs As soon as discussion on this topic started in year 2009, it was immediately given religious-political form. Higher caste communities have had deep impact on Madhya Pradesh politics. The three most influential ministers in the erstwhile government came from these communities and played big role in killing the idea of eggs as alternative, even before it could be given shape. However, some officers of the government were in agreement with the idea of introducing eggs in Anganwadi nutritious food and mid-day meal. Erstwhile Indore Collector Raghvendra Singh, despite political impediments, ensured availability of eggs and milk at rural Anganwadi of the district, in keeping with demand of the community, by using local resources of Gram Panchayats in year 2010. This led to 38% increase in Anganwadi attendance. But as soon as higher-caste ministers got inkling about this, they created pressure to immediately stop the initiative. In five months of this initiative, eggs and milk were distributed to 4132 severely malnourished children and 3077 of them recorded increase in weight, 1452 children improved into moderate malnourishment category in the five months, while 310 were declared malnutrition free. It is to be noted that neither the local community nor the parents of the kids going to Anganwadi opposed the distribution of eggs, including even those who did not eat eggs. Also eggs were distributed in Khandwa, Shivpuri and Mandla with no opposition from the community whatsoever. Inherent contradictions within State The animal husbandry department of the government that opposes eggs for children has a target of annual increase of 12% in egg production between years 2015 – 2025 to take the production to 365.6 crores from 117.7 crores. Also it has target to increase the production of meat to 1,53,000 metric tonne from 59,000 metric tonnes. This means that when it is matter of trade, liquor, eggs and meat become legitimate, but when it comes to logical initiative to mitigate the menace of malnutrition, a sentiment of boycott on religious basis crops up. The crux of the matter is just that community should be having freedom under the framework of Constitution of India to decide what are their culture and food habits? The government should just implement the constitution. In the later initiatives, in the year 2018, under the process of creating people’s manifesto for better society during the State Assembly polls, a demand was made to the political parties to promise inclusion of eggs as alternative in nutritious food programmes in Madhya Pradesh. Those who did not eat eggs could be given option of fresh fruits and milk. The BJP was anyway opposed to the idea, but even the Congress refused to talk on this point, because they too had adopted a ‘Hinduta’ stand and their leadership felt that the vegetarian society in Madhya Pradesh would be offended by the idea. However in Chhattisgarh, the Congress government took a decision to give the option of eggs in mid-day meal scheme, immediately after assuming power in 2018. In this way, currently 13 states of the country are providing eggs to the children under nutritious food programme. But the experience in Madhya Pradesh shows that communal and patriarchal politics causes the maximum delay in providing right of respectful life to children. The link of this situation directly connects to the fact that in independent India, the dalit, tribal and minority communities got minimal chances to be part of the policy making process. Therefore Hindutva ideologies take policy decisions on basis of their orthodox views and availability or unavailability of eggs in mid-day meal schemes is a good example of this fact.

Food safety means controlling and limiting hazardous substances in food that can be injurious to the health of the consumer and includes production, handling, storage, packing, packaging, transport and preparation of food. Karnataka has been ranked 9th on the Food safety index for 2020 -21 based on five parameters -human resources and institutional data, compliance, food testing facility, training and capacity building and consumer empowerment. A systematic review of public health risks related to food safety issues in the food market by Gizaw (2019) identified seven common public health risks related to microbial contamination of foods, chemical contamination, food adulteration, misuse of food additives, mislabeling, genetically modified (GM) foods and outdated foods or those past their use by dates. Food contamination is the unintentional addition of toxic, infectious or hazardous substances to foods during any of the process of production, manufacture, processing, preparation, packing transport, storage etc. This can be microbial or chemical. Microbial contamination This is caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungus and can often be identified because of a change in taste, smell, consistency etc. While some may cause mild ‘stomach upset’ and recover spontaneously, others maybe severe enough to mandate hospitalisation and long term care. Food-borne microbes and fungus are a major cause of preventable morbidity, death and economic burden in most countries but not enough is being done to control them. Overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in veterinary and human medicine has been linked to the emergence and spread of resistant bacteria, rendering the treatment of infectious diseases ineffective in animals and humans. These resistant bacteria then enter the food chain through the animals (e.g. Salmonella through chickens). Parasites can infect people through food, by direct contact with animals or via water or soil. Prions are infectious proteinaceous agents associated with specific forms of neurodegenerative disease. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy or  "mad cow disease" is a prion disease in cattle, and consumption of bovine products containing brain tissue can lead to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in humans. Chemical contamination Contamination of foods with naturally occurring chemical toxins and environmental chemical pollutants can be a significant source of foodborne illness, although it maybe difficult to establish causation. Naturally occurring toxins like mycotoxins, marine biotoxins, cyanogenic glycosides etc. can be found in staple foods like corn, cereals, fish, wild (poisonous) mushrooms etc.  While some can be destroyed by special treatment, processing, cooking etc. others may not. For example, the part of the potato that is budding or greenish can contain solanine which is toxic but this cannot be destroyed by cooking and therefore needs to be removed prior to cooking. Cabbage contains thioglucosides which can be absorbed in those with low dietary iodine, and cause thyroid enlargement. Certain kinds of fish or mushroom can cause serious poisoning even in the natural state. Environmental contaminants are impurities that are either introduced into food by human activity or occur naturally in water, air, or soil. Persistent organic pollutants such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are unwanted by-products of industrial processes and waste incineration and accumulate in the environment, human body and food chain, causing short and long-term complications. While short term exposure can cause skin lesions and allergic symptoms, longer exposure can affect the immune, reproductive, endocrine and hormonal system. There have been long-standing concerns about the chemical safety of food due to misuse of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides etc. which may often be used indiscriminately especially when poorly regulated or when there is inadequate training or information on their ill-effects, even if there are limits on these based on Acceptable Maximum Dietary Intake (ADI) and Maximum Residual Limit (MRL).  Phthalates in infant formulae, substances in food with oestrogenic activity, and veterinary drug residues, etc have also heightened public concern. In Bengaluru, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE) has documented that the discharge of untreated industrial effluents from the Peenya Industrial area into lakes has led to high levels of non-biodegradable chemicals and heavy metals. When this contaminated water is used for agriculture, it exposes the farmers as well as the consumers to high risk of toxicity.  While the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has made an action plan to address this issue, etrospectively addressing pollution is not good strategy, as the short and long term consequences have already been set into motion. Food adulteration is the addition of prohibited items to food to partly or wholly substitute healthy ingredients or artificially create the impression of freshness in stale foods with the usual purpose of financial gain. Some examples are metanil yellow to color sweets; Rhodamine B, brick powder, talk powder in chilli powder;  Malachite green to color green vegetables; lead chromate in turmeric powder; jaggery or sugar syrup in honey etc. Deb Pal A. and Jain A. (2018) have found that 39.3% of unpackaged oil samples and 31.3% packaged samples are adulterated. Respondents from high income groups (58- 83%) had a better awareness about oil adulteration than low SE group (10-56% ). Genetic engineering manipulates hereditary material like RNA and DNA across species and is being used for Genetically modified (GM) foods. . These processes are often not transparent and can be pushed on general population without a thorough understanding of their impact, many of which could be irreversible. A study by Centre for Science and Environment in 2018, found that despite GM food not being allowed into the country, several samples of edible oils, processed and packaged food and infant food items prepared locally and imported were found to contain GM ingredients. 32% samples, most of them imported, had tested positive for GM ingredients. There are studies linking genetically modified foods to non-communicable diseases, Alzheimer’s, stroke, Parkinson’s, end stage renal disease, acute kidney failure, several forms of cancer, respiratory and gastro-intestinal illness, hormonal imbalance, disruption of immune function, allergic reactions etc. There is therefore a need for much more honesty and choice about GM foods, specifically in the Indian context. Food safety standards Food safety strategies have to be applied at every stage of the food supply chain from food handling, production, agricultural practices, transportation, marketing, etc.  There is a need to invest in training, infrastructure, laboratories and human resources to prevent, identify and rectify gaps in food safety. Businesses and industries need to be held accountable for preventing pollution and also ensuring the safety of the foods that they produce and market. One of the primary responsibilities of the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) which operates under the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006  is to ensure food safety and quality standards by creating national guidelines and regulatory framework and thus protect public health. The FSSAI should routinely put out reports on food safety in the public domain.

In 2020, following a complaint by the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI),  the government pulled up lobby groups among pediatricians (Indian Academy of Pediatricians) and gynaecologists (Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Societies of India – FOGSI) over seminars sponsored by pharma companies and major food companies which were in contravention of the  Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding bottles and Infant Foods Act (IMS Act), which clearly states that no producer, supplier or distributor of infant milk substitutes, feeding bottles and infant foods shall offer or give any contribution or pecuniary benefit to a health worker or association of health workers including funding of seminars, meetings, conferences educational course, context, fellowship, research work or sponsorship. These are cognizable offences. Similar complaints had been made against Nestle, which through its frontal organisation Nestle Nutrition Institute, was attempting to influence doctors to recommend baby products, including infant milk powder, to parents. Doctors who get lured by these pharma or food companies are unlikely to genuinely promote breastfeeding and will tend towards promoting baby foods at every opportunity. It is not uncommon for a mother to be told that her breast milk is inadequate. Coming from a doctor, this can adversely affect a mothers decision-making about her child’s feeding, and can literally make her feel that she is not doing enough for the baby, thus opening the door for formula milk. It is also often easy in nuclear families with tight schedules and the need for the couple to get back to full time jobs, to rely on formula, more so if they depend on a child help or older family member taking care of the baby.  In what they think is adequate precaution, the parents may opt for sugar free formula. However, sugar is not the main problem with formula. It is also about the addition of soya oil, soya powder, maltodextrin, additives, flavouring agents etc. According to established standards, babies should be breastfed exclusively for 6 months (no additional food or drink, including water), with complementary feeds being introduced after that,  so that at the end of the year, the baby is able to consume what the family usually eats. The baby can receive medicines, drops, syrups etc. as recommended by a doctor. The lactose, protein (whey and casein), fat etc. in breast milk are easily digested and it contains most nutrients that the baby needs, except possibly vitamin D. Research shows that breastfed children are likely to have better immunity against ear infections, diarrhoea, respiratory infections etc. and also a lesser risk of allergies, asthma, diabetes, obesity etc.  Breastfeeding helps the uterus to contract, and also has a reduced risk of breast cancer, uterine and ovarian cancer in the mother. While breastfeeding, the mother has to be in the position most comfortable for her, and whether is is sitting or lying down doesn’t really make a difference. The initial breast milk (foremilk) is more watery in consistency and helps quench thirst, so if the baby just needs fluids, it will be satisfied with the foremilk. There is no additional need for water or other fluids. The milk that is secreted later is hind milk and is rich with fats and other nutrients and this is the food which helps the baby grow. If the baby has adequate quantity of the hind milk, it is more likely to feel full. This is why mothers are encouraged to feed from one breast at each meal instead of constantly shifting. Correct latching means the baby’s mouth is round the areola (dark part around the nipple), and this will stimulate milk production without causing pain to the mother. If the mother feels pain, then the flow of milk can be reduced. The baby should be breastfed within half hour after birth unless the mother has had a Caesarean section, in which case –at the earliest. The baby can be fed on demand and this is initially every 2-3 hours. Mothers should avoid alcohol or at least give a break of 2 hours after a single alcoholic drink. Caffeine intake also should not be very high. The mother normally produces as much milk as the baby requires upto the age of six months after which, she can continue breastfeeding but would require to supplement the milk with additional nutrient dense foods. After a Caesarean section the mother can still feed the baby and should find  a position that is most comfortable for her. A mother who is stressed or in pain will find it difficult to feed the baby so ensuring her comfort is important. Even if a woman becomes pregnant again after delivery of the previous baby, she can still continue breastfeeding. The baby should not just be sucking on the nipple, as this can, over time, actually interfere with breastfeeding and can cause pain and discomfort for the mother. When the angle of the baby’s mouth is stimulated with the nipple, the baby automatically turns towards the breast and opens its mouth. At this point, the baby should be held close to the mother, so that the chin is close to the breast, the baby’s mouth is open, the lower lip is turned outward and most of the areola (darker skin around the nipple) is in the baby’s mouth. Since most of the ducts are located around the areola, when the baby sucks, the areola is stimulated and the flow of milk is initiated through the milk ejection reflex. When the baby sucks a milk ejection reflex is stimulated and It doesn’t have anything to do with the size of the breast.After baby feeds, keep her/him upright and gently stroke back so that baby burps.Make sure the baby is immunised and has regular weight monitoring which should be mapped on a growth chart. If the baby shows steady gain in weight, then there is no need for any further intervention. When this reflex starts, hormones oxytocin and prolactin are released which stimulate breast milk. The breasts can get full and  there can be some amount of leaking of milk. This is completely normal. However after the reflex starts and if the baby doesn’t feed properly, then painful breast engorgement can happen. If this continues, there are possibilities of infection that can even lead to formation of  a breast abscess. If this happens, the mother may require antibiotics, and in some instances, even surgical draining of the abscess. Explaining this to the mother is crucial to prevent undue distress and discomfort.  It is not required to wash the nipple each time the mother feeds the baby. The secretions are protective and maintain the texture around the nipple and areola. Washing too frequently can lead to drying of the skin, causing cracks to form which can become extremely painful for the mother, or even infected. The colostrum, or watery yellow liquid as soon as baby is born is filled with immunoglobulins and antibodies so this should not be discarded, as is often done in Indian culture. Mothers, especially new mothers, become vulnerable to all kinds of ‘expert advice’. She is asked to eat food she doesn’t like or tolerate, or give up foods she enjoys. Some foods are hot, some cold, some spicy, some bland and based on what people think is best for the baby she is given different and often conflicting advice. What is important is that the mother has a balanced and diverse diet that has a good amount of proteins, vitamins and minerals – by the end of a year the baby should be consuming what the family usually eats. Nursing mothers should be given an additional 300 -500 calories and their requirements of other nutrients also goes up. Encouraging skin to skin contact of mother and baby helps the baby especially premature to adjust body temperature. The sooner this is done the better. If the mother is not able to for any reason, any other trusted person can support with skin to skin contact (Kangaroo method).When the mother feeds regularly and follows the correct method,breast engorgement can be prevented. Feeding techniques have to be discussed when women are pregnant rather than after delivery when she is stressed and handling a yelling, hungry baby. This is the wrong time to try and give advice on anything. From six months onwards, semi solid foods can be introduced. This includes soft cereal with pulses, mashed potatoes. Slowly the texture can be diversified and foods added one by one so that it is easier to assess what a baby cannot tolerate. Preparing foods hot and then cooling it down can help the baby avoid gastrointestinal infections. Addition of butter or ghee is important as the baby needs energy. The baby rapidly gains weight and height and needs fats for energy but also for other vital functions. Only giving the child sugary drinks, high carbohydrate foods and junk/processed foods like biscuits not only affect the child's nutrition status, but can also create a lifelong culture of poor eating and its subsequent complications. Sometimes the very first exposure of a baby to oral fluids is some sugary syrup. This is not advisable. Holding back on sugar till the child has been exposed to a variety of other tastes is important. Sugar can be addictive even for babies !! Even babies can develop a ‘sweet tooth’, which means that even when they grow older, there may be a preference for sweetened foods and this can directly link to caries and obesity with its associated non-communicable disease consequences. There are simple ways to find out if the baby is feeding adequately. In the first two months the baby should be fed on demand and at least every 2-3 hours. After that the duration and frequency may reduce. If the baby is passing urine frequently and the urine is not very concentrated (dark yellow) it means the baby is well hydrated. Regular growth monitoring is important. If the baby falls within the expected weight for age on the growth chart, it means the baby is growing well and this is much more reliable and objective. Baby initially passes urine 5-6 times in 24 hours and gains around 500 gm every month. If costs are calculated over time, formula costs a lot because of which some families may tend to make it more dilute and watery, which means the baby may not get enough. In case the baby refuses formula feed after it is mixed, it can be stored for use later, and then becomes a possible source of contamination. Formula doesn’t contain antibodies that are found in breast milk.  Formula has to be mixed in the right proportion and there is a need for availability of clean drinking water, preferably boiled and cooled. It is best to feed the child with a sipper or with a bowl and spoon rather than a bottle. The nipple of the bottle can store bacteria and become a potential source of infection. It has to be sterilised in hot water. Once the baby gets hungry, it takes time to prepare formula so anticipating and preparing for the meal in advance is good. However, some women may not be able to breastfeed for a variety of reasons. They should not be made to feel that they are not good mothers but should be supported . Women who may not be able to breast feed are those with communicable diseases with preclude breastfeeding, breast abscess or infections, separation of mother and baby, baby or mother in the intensive care unit, psycho-social issues of mother etc. Although bonding between mother and child doesn’t only depend on whether breastfeeding is taking place or not, formula fed babies may spend less time with their mothers as anyone can feed them, so it is important for mothers to make time to spend with the baby, and also for families, society and workplace to facilitate this bonding time. It also gives the mother time to recover her health. Infant and child foods are a multibillion industry. India with its burgeoning aspirational middle class are a ready target. Parents must plan better for their children. It is unlikely that when parents are themselves consuming sugary, high carbohydrate, processed/ultra processed foods that they will feed their children healthy foods. By the age of one, children should be consuming what the family regularly eats. Therefore committing to a balanced diet with diversity and without cultural/social prejudices against naturally available nutrient dense foods should be a good place to start.  Parents are also facing the burden of protecting the climate by making poor personal dietary choices such as veganism. Veganism itself offers very poor nutritional benefits to a baby. Vegan or undernourished mothers are unlikely to be able to sustain healthy breastfeeding practices. References Chandna H., “Govt shoots off letters to doctors, seeks answer on seminars ‘sponsored’ by baby-food makers” 20th August, 2020, The Print Himani C., “Nestlé in trouble for ‘influencing doctors to prescribe baby food’ in India.” The Print.  10th January 2019 “Question and Answer sheet on Exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding of Infant and young Children.” Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India. Information sheet 7 (2004) “Guidelines for breastfeeding and complementary feeding” Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India. Information sheet 1. 2000-2002 Joseph E.P.B., “Breast feeding vs Formula Feeding” Kids Health website “The Infant milk substitutes, feeding bottles and infant foods (Regulation of production, supply and distribution) Act, 1992” Act No. 41 of 1992