Farmers in Hassan protest alleging that society refuses to take milk claiming they voted for Congress candidate in Lok Sabha elections

Residents of Somanahalli, near Hassan in Karnataka, staged a protest in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner in Hassan on June 5 alleging that the milk producers’ cooperative society in the village refused to take milk from them on the grounds that they voted for the Congress candidate in the Lok Sabha elections.

The villagers alleged that the milk producers’ cooperative society in the village had been run by people identified with the JD(S). The secretary of the society had alleged refused to take milk from them.

Milk producers’ cooperative societies collect milk from villagers and send the same to Hassan Milk Union. The milk producers get weekly payments from the union.

The protesters alleged that Somanahalli Nagaraju, president of Hassan District Cooperative Central Bank, and other leaders of the JD(S) were putting pressure on the local milk producers’ society. The protesters submitted a memorandum to the DC.

Reaction of Hassan milk co-operative MD

H. Mahesh, Managing Director of Hassan Cooperative Milk Producers’ Society Union (HAMUL), told The Hindu that he would look into the allegation. “There are more than 1,700 milk producer cooperative societies. The process of collecting milk from producers has nothing to do with any political party, caste, or other identity. Societies cannot refuse taking milk on such grounds,” he said.