Gandhinagar: More than a hundred milk producers, along with their family members, staged a protest in Gandhinagar on Friday demanding the freedom to supply milk to the dairy of their choice.

As the Gujarat Assembly session is currently underway, strict security restrictions are in place in the state capital. Police detained the protesters before they could march towards the State Secretariat to submit their representation to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

The protesting farmers, mainly from the Dahegam belt of North Gujarat, told mediapersons that they had earlier been supplying milk to Uttam Dairy. However, dissatisfied with the rates offered by Uttam Dairy, they shifted their supply to Madhur Dairy, which they claim offers better prices and bonuses.

According to the farmers, the move angered Uttam Dairy owner Mohan Bharwad, who subsequently secured a stay order from the court restraining the milk supply to Madhur Dairy. Because of this legal restriction, they say they are currently unable to deliver milk to the dairy of their choice.

The producers alleged that the situation has resulted in milk going to waste in villages, causing financial losses to farmers. They had planned to meet the Chief Minister and seek government intervention in the dispute.

“We are not slaves of any dairy. We cannot be dictated to by Mohan Bharwad or anyone else. We should be free to supply milk to any dairy of our choice,” one protesting farmer said, adding that they would not resume supply to Uttam Dairy for a lifetime regardless of the rates offered.

The farmers also warned that if the issue is not resolved, they may boycott upcoming elections and bar politicians from entering their villages. DeshGujarat