Protests in Kolhapur as Hindus demand boycott of Gokul dairy
Protests broke out in Kolhapur after several Hindu organisations called for a boycott of Gokul Dairy products over the cooperative’s Halal certification. The groups argued that such certification was unnecessary for milk and dairy products sold within India and appealed to consumers to avoid purchasing “Halal-certified” items.
The agitation intensified after images of a Halal certificate linked to Gokul Dairy circulated on social media. Protesters questioned why the cooperative required the certification despite having a strong domestic market and alleged that religion-based certification practices were being unnecessarily promoted. Demonstrators also submitted memorandums to local authorities and warned of larger protests if the certification was not withdrawn.
In response, Gokul Dairy clarified that the Halal certification was obtained in 2018 solely for export purposes. The cooperative stated that several Gulf and Muslim-majority countries require Halal certification for imported food products, making it necessary for international trade.
The dairy further stressed that the certification does not affect products sold in the Indian market and does not alter the nature or quality of its domestic offerings. Gokul Dairy said the move was purely a business and export compliance requirement and maintained that it has been transparent about the certification process.
