Amul Vice-Chairman Valamji Humbal on Tuesday urged PM Narendra Modi to ban PETA or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The request comes three days after the NGO suggested that Amul produce vegan milk and food—calling Amul to capitalise on India’s readiness to choose vegan options.
Humbal said that the NGO’s comments were tarnishing the image of the dairy industry and attempting to ruin the livelihood of 10 crore people.
"Dairy sector is an important contributor to the GDP of India but the GDP can be affected adversely by misinformation spread by opportunistic elements like this NGO. Organisations like this are part of the conspiracy to render unemployed the milk producers of India,” Humbal said. He added that the milch animals aren’t treated with cruelty.
“Indian culture positions livestock as part of their family and raise them as a member of the family. Therefore, the question of cruelty does not arise at all… This entire episode is a misinformation campaign and an attempt to break the Indian dairy industry, which is self-sufficient and thereby saves the country from the trouble of importing milk and milk products, and render unemployed 10 crore people who are relying on it. The move appears to have been prompted by various foreign companies,” Humbal added.
He is also president of Sarhad Dairy, a member union of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation.
PETA India’s CEO Dr Manilal Valliyate on Tuesday said, “Amul has shown itself to be a bully, unable to appreciate the public’s concern for animals and a business that apparently cannot change despite changing consumer trends. But no amount of bullying is going to change the fact: vegan eating is taking the world by storm”.
