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Indian Express
7 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Rahul Gandhi to visit Gujarat on Saturday, to chart out Congress' course for upcoming polls
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will arrive for a one-day visit to Gujarat on Saturday to address the inaugural session of the party's three-day training programme for the newly-appointed presidents of the district units, said party leaders familiar with the development on Thursday. The event is slated to be held at a private resort in Anand. Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Chavda said that Gandhi's state visit will include a strategic meeting to outline the party's course of action for the next two-and-a-half years, focusing on the 2026 civic body polls and the 2027 Assembly will also address a gathering of members of milk unions in Anand later on Saturday. Addressing mediapersons in Vadodara on Thursday, Chavda said, 'Rahul Gandhi will arrive in Gujarat on July 26, land in Vadodara and head to Anand, where he will join the inaugural session of the three-day Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan training camp for the newly-elected district presidents from across the state'. 'He (Rahul) has accepted our invitation to guide the newly elected leaders on the path ahead (especially) in (these) times when we are fighting corruption and irregularities in administration across the state…. he will take part in the camp for about four hours. Discussions will be held to plan Congress' move in the upcoming days to take up the issue of the misadministration, injustice and corruption in the cooperative sector… The party will fight against the same… There have been complaints of corruption in the Amul model that was set up due to the vision of Sardar Patel, Tribhuvandas Patel and Dr Kurien,' Chavda added. Chavda said that the members of the milk unions across the state are 'agitating' to be heard. Referring to the death of the milk farmer Ashok Chaudhary, who allegedly died following a medical complication after attending the Sabar Dairy protest on July 14, Chavda said, 'The entire system of cooperatives has been polluted. Therefore, Rahul ji will also interact with members of the milk producers union'. Chavda added: 'He will hear their pleas and complaints… He will be in Gujarat from 10 am to 6pm on Saturday… The BJP introduced the system of mandate in the cooperatives that captured the institutions meant to run through cooperation. The Congress will fight against this in the coming days.' Chavda said that the party was keen to bring about changes necessary for strengthening the organisational structure. 'Therefore, in the training camp, the agenda for the next two-and-half-years will be decided, beginning with the first goal: Taluka Panchayat, Municipal Corporations and Municipality elections. Before the polls, the Congress' organisational structure has to be strengthened at various levels…' he said further. 'Today Gujarat is facing many issues, including unemployment of youth, injustice against women, traders facing obstacles…There is corruption everywhere. Bridges are falling and people have died… it has made people lose their trust in the government,' Chavda added.
Indian Express
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
BJP is looting farmers' money to build luxurious mahals: Kejriwal in Gujarat
The BJP is 'looting money of poor dairy farmers to build their luxurious 'mahals'(palaces)', said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener Arvind Kejriwal while demanding Rs 1 crore in compensation each from the state government and Sabar Dairy for the family of Ashok Chaudhary, a 42-year-old farmer from Zinzva village of Idar taluka, who died during a protest at Sabar Dairy in Himmatnagar on July 14. Assuring that AAP was 'standing with the farmers' and a bullet fired towards farmers would first pass through him, Kejriwal on Wednesday made these remarks while addressing a gathering of farmers in Aravalli district's Modassa, training his gun at the BJP-ruled state government for being 'insensitive, corrupt and arrogant.' He asserted that the countdown of BJP's downfall had begun with Chaudhary's death just like the 'fate of the Congress' after a clash in the 1980s killed 10 farmers. Kejriwal questioned the state government's declaration of 9.5 percent profit in Sabar Dairy for the current year, significantly lower compared to the previous profits of 16 to 17.5 percent, declared from 2020 to 2024. Kejriwal said, 'What happened at Sabar Dairy was an unfortunate incident when this corrupt, incompassionate and brutal government (BJP-run state government in Gujarat) lathicharged the poor cattle rearers… a young farmer died… Where is all the money? The profit has been between 16-18% in the last five years, so where is the money this year? It has all been stashed away in their Swiss banks… They have been building their mahals (palaces), their party's election rallies, they are looting the money of the poor farmers and buying swanky palaces, luxurious cars, helicopters and planes… AAP is with you. If another bullet is fired, it will first hit Kejriwal.' Kejriwal said that even after Ashok Chaudhary's death, the state government failed to give the farmers their rights and only made 'false announcements' after AAP's announcement of the former Delhi CM's visit. He said, 'On July 18, when Isudan Gadhvi announced that Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann will come to Gujarat on June 23, the very same day at 3pm, they declared that they will give 17.5% profit. They have not given it. They have just made a false announcement; they have not given anything… Isudan has told me that he went to meet Ashok Chaudhary's family… a poor farmer… their house did not even have a roof. They (BJP) are looting the money of such people, who do not have roof over their head; and building their mahals; they will be stained in sin and go to hell…' Stating that the 30-years in power in Gujarat had meant 'heightened arrogance' for the BJP, which thinks that the 'voters will go nowhere'. Kejriwal said, 'If the farmers were protesting for something and it was their right to ask, should the government not have sat down with them? Should they have fired guns, tear gas shells and lathicharged you?…What is even more surprising is that not a single rupee of compensation has been given to the family of Ashok Chaudhary after his death… Today from this stage, I demand that the family should be given Rs 1 crore from the dairy and Rs 1 crore from the Gujarat government as compensation… The compensation aside, since the day of the incident, they (BJP) have been going around threatening and pressuring farmers to stay away from this meeting.' 'BJP has captured cooperatives' Accusing the BJP of 'capturing' the cooperatives in the country, Kejriwal said, 'The meaning of a cooperative sector is that the farmers will run it. But farmers are not running the cooperatives. The BJP has captured all the cooperatives and looted you all'. 'I have researched a lot and I can say that, especially in North Gujarat, each and every farmer can be taken out of poverty if the corruption is brought to an end… I have been told that the milk farmers are paid money as per the fat content of the milk… the machine that measures the fat content is manipulated. If there is 7.5% fat, the machine will measure 7%. The remaining money, they just siphon away,' he claimed. Accusing the BJP of working for Adanis, Kejriwal said Congress after being overthrown in 1980s following a clash with farmers, leading to 10 deaths, was never elected to power in Gujarat and similarly Chaudhary's death will set off the countdown of BJP's defeat in the state. 'Congress government, which had come to power with 149 seats in the 1970-80s, became so arrogant, just like the BJP is today, that they fired bullets at farmers and 10 died; thereafter, the Congress never came back to power. Similarly, the countdown to BJP's end has started with Ashok Chaudhary's death.' During the occasion, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that BJP state President CR Paatil has been involved (in mediating) the differences between Punjab and Haryana over water as well as the wars within the milk cooperatives in Gujarat. Mann said, 'The (BJP) came to power (in Delhi) and brought the electricity bills that were free during the AAP government… But they don't come alone. They bring along Adani and a big gang.,.. CR Paatil is the Jal Shakti Minister. Punjab and Haryana are fighting over water. He is sitting in between the fight for water and also sitting in between the fight for milk. Here they are mixing milk in water… There was a meeting recently of the SYL (Sutlej Yamuna Link)… This loot will not last long. The voters have a new button and that, too, of a broom… Earlier it was only used to clean homes and offices. Now it will be used to clean the country's administration.'
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Mehsana, Rajkot dairy heads elected GCMMF chairman, vice-chairman
Vadodara: There is a change of guard at the Anand-headquartered Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), the world's largest farmer-owned dairy cooperative, after five years. The GCMMF board, popularly called Amul Federation, on Tuesday elected Mehsana Dairy chairman Ashok Chaudhary and Rajkot Dairy chairman Gordhan Dhameliya as chairman and vice-chairman of GCMMF. The duo replace Sabar Dairy chairman Shamal Patel and Sarhad Dairy chairman Valamji Humbal at the GCMMF top posts. Patel and Humbal served two terms of two and a half years each after being elected in 2020. Patel was on a sticky wicket after protests by dairy farmers at Himmatnagar, which also took a violent turn as protesters clashed with police. The election on Tuesday saw the participation of all 18 member unions of GCMMF that market dairy products under the brand name 'Amul'. Chaudhary and Dhameliya were elected unopposed based on the mandate from the BJP leadership. Chaudhary's name was proposed by Patel, the outgoing chairman, and seconded by Ashwin Salawiya, chairman of Amreli Dairy. Dhameliya's name was proposed by Humbal and supported by Mohan Bharwad, chairman of Ahmedabad Milk Union. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Special Offer On Exclusive Watches Luxury Watches Shop Now Undo The election was conducted in the presence of the Anand district collector and the registrar of cooperatives of the Gujarat govt. After being appointed chairman, Chaudhary thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for positioning Amul as a global dairy brand. He also thanked Union home and cooperation minister Amit Shah, Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel, state BJP chief C R Paatil, and minister of cooperation in the Gujarat govt Jagdish Vishwakarma. After its inception in 1973, GCMMF was headed by its founder chairman, the late Dr Verghese Kurien, who stepped down in 2006. He was the last non-political chairman of the federation. From 2006, GCMMF chairmanship has been held by Banaskantha's Banas Dairy (Parthi Bhatol), Mehsana's Dudhsagar Dairy (earlier Vipul Chaudhary and now Ashok Chaudhary), Sabarkantha's Sabar Dairy (earlier Jetha Patel and later Shamal Patel), and Anand's Amul Dairy (Ramsinh Parmar). Banas, Mehsana, Sabar and Amul are the four biggest milk unions of Gujarat. The post of vice-chairman, which was created in 2015 through an amendment in GCMMF bylaws, was first held by Panchmahals-based Panchamrut Dairy's chief Jetha Bharwad, later by Humbal, and now by Dhameliya. In the 2024-25 financial year, GCMMF recorded a turnover of Rs 65,911 crore ($7.7 billion). During this period, the federation procured more than 12 billion litres of milk and achieved a brand turnover of Rs 90,000 crore ($11 billion) through its member unions.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Voting for GCMMF top posts today
Vadodara: Elections for the top two posts in the powerful Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) will be held in Milk City Anand on Tuesday, after a gap of two and a half years. The heads of 18 co-operative milk unions of Gujarat, who are members of the GCMMF board, will elect the new chairman and vice-chairman of the federation, which markets dairy products under the brand name Amul. Currently, the chairman of the Sabarkantha District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited (Sabar Dairy), Shamal Patel, and Kutch-based Sarhad Dairy's chairman, Valamji Humbal, are holding the two top posts. The duo, who were elected to these posts in July 2020, have already served two terms of two and a half years each. Observers point out that the recent developments at Himmatnagar, where milk producers linked to Sabar Dairy staged protests which spiralled into violent clashes with the police, have put Sabar Dairy's chief, Shamal Patel, on a sticky wicket. Sources said a decision on the new chairman and vice-chairman will be taken by the leadership of the BJP, given the fact that the saffron party now has complete hold of all the milk unions of Gujarat. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Casa Maquista chefs explore turmeric's essence in Macanese cuisine. MGTO Undo Since its inception in 1973, GCMMF was headed by its founder chairman, the late Dr Verghese Kurien, who stepped down in 2006. He was the last non-political chairman of the federation. Since 2006, the GCMMF chairmanship has been held by Banaskantha-based Banas Dairy (Parthi Bhatol), Mehsana-based Dudhsagar Dairy (Vipul Chaudhary), Sabarkantha-based Sabar Dairy (earlier Jetha Patel and now Shamal Patel), and Anand-based Amul Dairy (Ramsinh Parmar). Banas, Mehsana, Sabar and Amul are the four biggest milk unions of Gujarat. The post of vice-chairman, which was created in 2015 through an amendment to GCMMF bylaws, was first held by Panchmahals-based Panchamrut Dairy's chief, Jetha Bharwad, and is currently held by Humbal. Anand district collector Praveen Chaudhary told TOI that the election will be held from 11am onwards according to the GCMMF bylaws presented to him. GCMMF has a unique voting pattern where all district dairy union chiefs who are board members have one normal vote each. In addition, they carry additional votes that are counted based on the business that the dairies they head transact with the federation in the financial year. With 3.6 million dairy farmers associated with the 18 milk unions of Gujarat, GCMMF is the world's largest farmer-owned dairy cooperative. Its group brand turnover is more than $11 billion, while it handles more than 12 billion litres of milk every year.
Indian Express
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Kejriwal, Mann to visit Gujarat on July 23-24; to attend mahapanchayat of cattle herders, gathering in support of jailed MLA
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal will visit Gujarat along with senior party leader and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on July 23-24, said the party's state chief Isudan Gadhvi on Friday. The two main agendas of the national leaders of the party will be to attend the Kisan-Pashupalak (cattle herders) Mahapanchayat, scheduled to take place in Modasa city of Aravalli, and address a public gathering in Dediapada where its incumbent MLA Chaitar Vasava has been arrested by the police. Gadhvi, speaking at a press conference, said that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government had crossed the heights of corruption and were now 'victimising farmers and cattle herders'. He said, 'I spoke to Kejriwal ji that the condition of the farmers as well as the cattle herders in Gujarat has become very miserable. So, to become the voice of the farmers and cattle breeders' associations of Gujarat, Kejriwal ji will attend the event at Modasa on July 23. Punjab CM Mann will also be present,' said Gadhvi. On the prospective public gathering in Dediapada on July 24, in support of MLA Vasava, Gadhvi said, 'AAP's Dediapada MLA Chaitar Vasava has raised many questions among the tribal community and has also exposed scams worth thousands of crores like MNREGA. Due to this, the BJP government has now framed him in false cases and sent him to jail.' He said, 'Due to this, people in the entire tribal area are opposing the action taken by the BJP government. In support of MLA Vasava and to become the voice of the tribal community, Kejriwalji and Bhagwant Saheb will address a massive public meeting in Dediapada.' Earlier this month, Vasava was arrested in an alleged case of attempt to murder a BJP leader during a brawl at a taluka-level meeting. Raising the issue of the recent death of a cattle herder after the Sabar Dairy protest, an AAP statement quoted Gadhvi as saying, 'A few days ago, the BJP government brutally lathi-charged farmers who went to Sabar Dairy to demand a rise in milk prices. The police also fired expired tear gas canisters, due to which a cattle herder from a poor family died. Farmers and cattle breeders who went out to demand justice under the BJP rule are dying today. This is a very sad incident. We also went to the house of the deceased cattle breeder and we saw his kin in a miserable condition.' On Monday, following a stir by cattle rearers, a protester died after complaining of chest pain. While the AAP alleged that the man died due to police action, police claimed that the death took place hours after the farmer went back home. 'The farmers had demanded a 19% price hike, which was the same as what was given last year, but the dairy did not agree. This situation is the same every year. First, they do not give the price hike, then there is a stir and an innocent person dies. Once that happens, they announce the price hike. We demand that this announcement be made within the next two days,' said Gadhvi. The AAP leader demanded that all cases against cattle herders be withdrawn, an investigation committee headed by a retired High Court judge be formed to provide justice to the cattle herder who died, all the officials and leaders who gave the lathi charge order be booked for murder, the protesting cattle herders get the price hike they are demanding, and the family of the deceased cattle herder be given Rs 1 crore compensation. A day after the protest, a case was registered against hundreds of people for allegedly attacking the police and damaging public property.
