The dairy farmers’ agitation for a higher price for milk turned violent in Indapur tehsil of Pune on Thursday after protesters vandalised two tankers and emptied the milk on the road.
A similar protest took place in Malshiras in Solapur where a group of dairy farmers stopped tankers and let out the milk on the road. Three days ago, former MLA and president of Rayat Kranti organisation Sadabhau Khot had carried out a rally in Pune demanding a better price for milk.
“Dairy farmers are in extreme distress and since their demands are not being heard, they are on the streets carrying out agitations.
They are waiting for an organisation or a leader to lead them,” Khot told TOI.
When contacted, inspector Dilip Pawar, in-charge of Indapur police station, said, “We have registered a case of dacoity under section 395 of the IPC against 10 to 12 unidentified persons who vandalised two tankers and poured milk on the road.”
According to the leaders, such agitations will keep growing if the government fails to address their issues. “The state must allot Rs 50 crore to encourage milk powder export and another Rs 50 crore to fund dairy farmers. Such a move will benefit nearly 50 lakh families. However, this announcement has to come now as the water crisis in many parts of the state is critically affecting dairy farmers,” Khot said.
