These were the grieving women who, within days of a suicide, convinced the state of the good mental condition of their husbands, signed documents attesting to the “truth”, and accepted the meagre cheques. But for the state, they did not exist. After all, what did the widows of farmers know about agriculture, crop magement, bank loans, private debts, land documents, health bills, power connections, panchayat politics, children’s education? The short answer was — everything. (IANS)