Kolhapur, Nov 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) A fierce political firestorm has erupted in Maharashtra as thousands of farmers, dairy producers, and opposition leaders converged on Dasra Chowk for a massive 'Sangharsh Morcha' (Struggle March).
Organised amidst the festive backdrop of Diwali, the rally targets the state government's controversial ordinance enabling the appointment of government-nominated directors with voting rights to institutions with turnovers exceeding Rs 500 crore—a move they charge is explicitly engineered to capture control of the Rs 3,000-crore Gokul Milk Union (Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union).
They further alleged that by granting voting rights to four of these nominees, the ruling Mahayuti alliance is attempting to engineer a majority to capture the chairmanship of the cooperative dairy.
The atmosphere in Kolhapur remains highly charged, with protesters displaying symbolic items, including traditional Kolhapuri chappals (footwear), alongside creative banners and posters. One prominent banner referencing former Prime Minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee has drawn widespread attention. The banner contrasts current political actions with historical precedents, reading.
"Where is Atalji, who resigned from the Prime Minister's post over lacking a single MP's vote? And where are those today, who are appointing four directors just because they fall short by one director?"
The banner further questioned the government's motives, adding, "Looking at this decision regarding Gokul, what is the difference between them and the British rule? The time has come to liberate India again."
An unprecedented police presence has been deployed around Dasra Chowk to maintain law and order, complete with strategic barricading and traffic diversions across key routes.
Despite the heavy security, people from surrounding villages continue to arrive in buses, tractors, and private vehicles.
Demonstrators holding black flags were heard shouting slogans: "Gokul belongs to us by right, not to anyone's father!"
The protest is being led by Congress MLA Satej Patil and former MP Raju Shetti. Leaders from the Kolhapur District Bar Association and local lawyers have also joined the demonstration in solidarity.
Organisers stressed that Gokul is not merely a dairy union, but a symbol of the self-respect and livelihood of Kolhapur's farming community.
"This is an attack on democratic values," said a lead organiser during the march. "Attempting to seize control through government-nominated directors bypasses the mandate of the democratically elected board of directors and smothers the voice of local dairy farmers."
Organisers maintained that the protest rises above party lines to safeguard the autonomy of cooperative institutions and the rights of farmers.
Responding to remarks made by BJP MP Dhananjay Mahadik—who had questioned how many people would show up for a protest during Diwali—Shiv Sena (UBT) district chief Viraj Patil delivered a sharp retort, "Dhananjay Mahadik should come here and see for himself how many people gather at a single call from Satej Patil."
The fallout from the Gokul conflict has created ripples across Maharashtra's political spectrum and triggered discussions in New Delhi. Political observers view the standoff not just as a local dispute, but as a defining test for the future and autonomy of Maharashtra's cooperative movement.
Protesters maintain a single core demand: the immediate withdrawal of the state ordinance and the preservation of Gokul's organisational autonomy.
Attention now turns to the state government's response as public outrage continues to grow.
The Congress legislator Satej Patil, who led the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi to win 13 out of 25 seats and 12 by the MahaYuti-supported panel in the Gokul Milk Union, at the protest rally said, "I am not someone who engages in caste politics. Bunty Patil did not sit at the doorstep of power. Hasan Mushrif, you remained in power with me for 15 years. The doors of Gokul were opened for you because of Bunty Patil. All this is a conspiracy hatched by both of them. The decision regarding the four directors was made because of Chandrakant Patil and Hasan Mushrif—this is their sin."
He further stated that Minister Hasan Mushrif, you do not dare to name the invisible forces.
“Even if Mushrif leaves, I am a Patil who will keep fighting. I was taking medications for 22 days. What was my fault? I was fighting for 5.5 lakh farmers. You were fighting for your own children,” he criticised.
He claimed that today's Struggle March is no longer confined to Kolhapur but has become a pan-Maharashtra stir.
"This struggle march is no longer just Kolhapur's—it has spread across Maharashtra. Today, in the land of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, those in power have trampled law and order. The battleground for the Gokul elections began six months ago. The government was trying to appoint an administrator. I called Jayant Patil and asked why an administrator was being brought into the state, especially when Chief Minister Fadnavis had stated in the Assembly that they were not enacting a law specifically for Gokul," he noted.
Former minister and NCP SP legislator Jayant Patil alleged that some people on the other side act as if they can overturn court verdicts.
"There are people on the other side who behave as though they can change a court's verdict. Bunty Patil has proven that one can win on a ballot. If 12 directors step forward, they will not stand with the ruling party. The government should withdraw this 'test-tube baby' [ordinance]," he said.
He further added, "There must be a limit to how much injustice can be inflicted. Rulers shouldn't do things to the extent that they get exposed in front of the public. Devendra Fadnavis, the cabinet you head, issued this ordinance. If Devendra Fadnavis had respected democracy, he would not have done this. Unfortunately, such a law was passed that 4 members are being imposed on all institutions with a turnover exceeding Rs 500 crore."
"Until today, India was governed with respect for democracy, and cooperative bodies across the country functioned on those very principles. Our tradition dictates that nominated/co-opted experts should not exceed one or two. However, for the first time in Maharashtra's cooperative sector, such an act has occurred. Four members were needed just to break Bunty Patil's majority in Gokul. The government committed this sin," charged Patil.
The Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana founder and former MP Raju Shetti said, "Nominated directors have never been given voting rights. The concept of nominated directors was introduced so that if democratically elected directors are not experts in specific areas, their decisions don't go wrong. A nominated director's job is to advise the elected directors. Nowhere in India—let alone Maharashtra—have nominated directors been given voting rights. They attempted this in Gujarat, but the court struck it down, proving that our stance is not wrong."
He added, "Remember, Madhuri the elephant has been brought back. Read the notification you issued once the Gokul elections were announced." "They tried to postpone the meeting by staging a drama over quorum. Now they are playing dirty tactics. BJP and its allied partners who lick their boots have never understood the cooperative sector," said Raju Shetti.
Congress legislator and former minister Vishwajeet Kadam argued that "Gokul is an issue of Maharashtra; why did Devendra Fadnavis bring a Lawyer from Delhi?"
"Regardless of the outcome, I pray to God that He stands firmly behind you, Bunty Patil Saheb. The blessings of these people are with you. People have come here out of love and respect after witnessing your struggle to keep Gokul in the hands of the people of Kolhapur. The Gokul issue belongs to Maharashtra, so why did Devendra Fadnavis bring a lawyer from Delhi? We have also fielded strong lawyers," he stated.
The Sangli MP Vishal Patil claimed, "They (Mahayuti) have messed with Bunty Patil because their end has arrived. If they keep taking such decisions, I don't think they will survive until 2029. The institution was handed over to Bunty Patil, and the governance became clean. Now, attempts are being made to infiltrate a well-run institution. If Maharashtra's rulers are thinking about how Gokul can be shut down so Amul can grow big, this is betrayal."
Source: IANS
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