Farmers burn effigy of government in Kolhapur over state-nominated directors on Gokul board

Milk-producing farmers and local residents held a strong protest in Kasba Bawda in Kolhapur against the decision to place five government-appointed directors on the Gokul milk union. At Bhagwa Chowk, the protesters burned a symbolic effigy of the government and shouted slogans against it.

The protesters allege that the government's decision to seat directors in Gokul is an injustice to milk-producing farmers and members of the institution. Milk producers from Kasba Bawda and Line Bazar, local residents and office-bearers of various organisations took part in large numbers. They voiced their anger by raising slogans against the government's policies.

The leaders of the agitation have also announced the next phase of their fight. They have warned that on coming Monday, more than 25,000 residents and milk-producing farmers from Kasba Bawda and Line Bazar will come together for a large march. Current and former corporators, office-bearers of the Shriram Seva Sanstha and milk producers of the area are said to be among those who will join it.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Satej Patil has also targeted the government over the decision. He said, "Gokul is not your fiefdom. Do not try to crush the mandate of the members and push your own people into the institution." Patil also alleged that giving four nominated members the right to vote amounts to government robbery of the members' mandate.

The Maharashtra government has issued the Cooperative Institutions Reform Ordinance 2026. It provides for five government-nominated members on the management committee of eligible cooperative institutions with annual turnover above Rs 500 crore. One of them will be a government official and four will be experts with experience of cooperative institutions.

With this decision, the Gokul dispute is no longer confined to the cooperative body, and signs of a major clash are visible in Kolhapur politics as well.