Ewwreka

IIT-Delhi has received 50 proposals from different academic and research institutes to study the benefits of cow urine. Milk too. To be fair, we don’t know how many on urine and how many on milk, but it’s all part of a government initiative called SVAROP. That stands for Scientific Validation And Research On Panchgavya (five byproducts of the cow). Vetting it all is the boss of the panel that steers SVAROP — environment minister Harsh Vardhan.

GK: According to Wikipedia, Mr Minister has an MS in Otorhinolaryngology — basically, a ear, nose, throat doctor. To help you swallow better, of course.

On Troubled Waters

In 2015, a Rs 4-crore refinery was inaugurated in Jalore, Rajasthan, to collect and process cow urine. Soon after, the state government announced plans to use cow urine to disinfect hospitals. The state health minister said effectiveness would be tracked. Those days, CM Vasundhara Raje and the new PM weren’t getting along. In 2013, when Modi was campaigning in the state, Raje had stayed away from each and every one of his 22 rallies. But shortly after the cow urine announcements, there were reports about RSS backing Raje.

GK: Gadkari, who supposedly brokered the peace, himself was promoting a different effluent at the time. Addressing a gathering that year, he said: “Daily, I collect urine [his own] in a 50-litre can. It is then used for the plants in my New Delhi residence.” Eeeesh!

Best Bait

Whether human urine is good for foliage or not is not our concern, but that cow urine has a certain burgeoning impact, Baba Ramdev figured out this year. On Makar Sankranti day, when the nation was still digesting DeMo, he launched a cow urine-based floor cleaner. On one hand, he pleased the people with his look-no-chemicals-on-your-hands line, and on the other, he pleased the government with his exhortation about embracing the product to stop cow slaughter. A savvy businessman, he has since moved on to denims, infrastructure, soaps.

GK: Desi portals are stocking up on gaumutra merchandise — edible and non-edible. The stress is on cleanliness and godliness. The videshi ones offer greater variety. Page after page of cow elk and cow moose urine products — gels, sticks, sprays. The product descriptor reads thus: “Very effective during stalk and calling setups. Product is irresistible to bulls cruising downwind.” Too confusing in its directness? A trap, a trap.

Upala Sen