Gujarat: Death of a Dairy Farmer-CPI(M)-AIKS Delegation Visits Himatnagar
A CPI(M)-AIKS delegation visited Himatnagar on July 21, 2025, following the tragic death of 42-year-old dairy farmer Ashok Choudhury. The delegation, led by CPI(M) leaders, demanded a judicial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Choudhury’s death and called for compensation of one crore rupees to his family, among others.
Choudhury’s death is rooted in the long-standing issue of corruption within the BJP-controlled Sabarkantha District Milk Producers Union (Sabar Dairy). Dairy farmers in the region have been raising concerns about mismanagement and corruption in the cooperative. Last year, following a successful AIKS-led agitation, the dairy was forced to increase its dividend. However, this year, the management reduced the dividend, angering farmers. On July 14, an anonymous message prompted a large gathering of farmers outside the dairy, where they were met with excessive police force.
Ashok Choudhury, who was seated in a vehicle parked in front of the dairy gate, was caught in the police crackdown. As heavy teargas was used, the fumes trapped inside the vehicle caused suffocation. Unable to escape due to the ongoing lathi charge, Choudhury’s blood pressure dropped dramatically. Unfortunately, despite being rushed to one hospital after another, he could not be saved.
Farmers have voiced concerns over rampant corruption and politically biased recruitments within the dairy cooperatives controlled by the ruling party. They allege that funds are being diverted to organize political events, including visits from high-profile dignitaries such as the Prime Minister and Governor, while dairy farmers are denied their rightful share. This illicit diversion of funds has exacerbated the distress faced by farmers, who are already struggling with rising production costs and low milk procurement prices.
The delegation visited Jijva village in Idar tehsil, where they met with the family of the victim. They expressed their condolences to Choudhury’s wife and three children. The delegation also engaged with the president of the Jijva Dairy Cooperative, Jijva Dudh Utpadad Mandali, and other farmer leaders from the village.
Earlier, an AIKS-led meeting of dairy farmers was held at Patidar Wadi in Himatnagar. Despite efforts to dissuade farmers from attending, a significant number gathered to mourn Choudhury’s death and criticise the BJP-led state government for its insensitivity to the plight of farmers. Several speakers condemned the government’s arrogance, corruption, and failure to address farmers’ issues.
A key concern raised at the meeting was the large gap between the consumer price and the procurement price of milk, which currently stands at Rs 17 per litre. The dairy cooperative, the farmers claimed, is accumulating large profits without sharing the benefits with the producers. The meeting demanded that all dairy cooperatives share their surplus as dividends with the milk-producing farmers and called for the procurement price to be raised to Rs 60 per litre. Additionally, the farmers requested that the state government provide a subsidy of Rs 10 per litre to alleviate the financial burden on dairy farmers.
Speakers also highlighted that cooperatives, once run by farmers, are now dominated by the BJP, which is allegedly using them for political gain. It is noteworthy that Sabar Dairy’s reported profits have declined significantly – from a consistent 16-17.5 per cent return in previous years to just 9.5 per cent this year – despite stable operations. This decline, it is alleged, is due to the diversion of cooperative funds for political purposes.
The delegation included Muralidharan, central secretariat member of the CPI(M); H I Bhatt, state secretary of the CPI(M); Krishnaprasad, finance secretary of AIKS; Pushpendra Tyagi, secretariat member of AIKS; and Dayabhai Gajera and Parshotam Parmar, general secretary and secretary of the Gujarat Kisan Sabha, respectively.
