Kolhapur, Nov 9 (PTI) The Maharashtra government's decision to grant voting rights to four nominated directors in the Gokul milk cooperative triggered massive protests by opposition parties and dairy farmers in Kolhapur on Monday.
Led by the Rajarshi Shahu Shetkari Samvichari Aghadi, dairy farmers took to the streets with their cattle and marched to the district collectorate to oppose the ordinance, which effectively boosts the ruling Mahayuti's strength from 12 to 16 in the 25-member board, altering the balance of power.
Last week, the Maharashtra cabinet approved the appointment of five government-nominated members to the managing committees of cooperative institutions with an annual turnover of more than Rs 500 crore, excluding district central cooperative banks. Four of the members will be entitled to vote in the board of directors.
The Rajarshi Shahu Shetkari Samvichari Aghadi, led by Congress MLC Satej Patil, won 13 of the 25 seats in the October 19 elections to the Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union, popularly known as Gokul.
The Mahayuti-backed panel won 12, in a blow to the BJP-led ruling alliance, whose leaders had campaigned together in an effort to secure control of the influential cooperative institution, whose annual turnover is more than Rs 4,000 crore.
A large number of dairy farmers from across the district participated in the demonstration, with several bringing cattle.
Congress leaders, MPs, and local lawyers also joined the march, carrying black flags and displaying banners against the government's decision.
Lawyers said they joined the agitation to protect democratic principles in cooperative bodies.
The Samvichari Aghadi has also challenged the ordinance in the Bombay High Court, seeking its revocation. A hearing was listed before the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar bench later in the day, as the Kolhapur bench was closed for a holiday.
Before the march, MLC Satej Patil, MPs Vishal Patil and Dhairyasheel Mohite-Patil, and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana chief Raju Shetti held a coordination meeting at Patil's Ajinkyatara office.
Extending support to the stir, NCP (SP) Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, in a social media post, said the panel led by Satej Patil had registered a decisive victory, yet the state government was keen on taking control of the institution.
Sule also posted a video of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, a former Union agriculture minister, watching news coverage of the protest march in Kolhapur. Pawar was closely monitoring the developments and receiving updates every moment, Sule added.
The NCP (SP) supports the people of Kolhapur and Gokul's milk-producing farmers in their fight for their legitimate rights, she said.
There was heavy police deployment throughout the protest route, particularly around the District Collectorate, to maintain order.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)