Why PETA wanted Amul to switch to vegan milk?
Amul, India’s biggest dairy brand recently came across a suggestion that may change the age-old legacy of the brand. Animal rights organisation, PETA suggested Amul to 'switch to plant-based dairy' and derive “benefit from the booming vegan food and milk market”.
Internet's reaction to the demand
The tweet by Sodhi made waves across the internet as many Twitter users backlashed on the strange demand by PETA and some people also called the demand to switch to vegan milk as an “outrageous one”, while others supported the brand by tweeting that they have been doing good work over the years and there’s no need to pay heed to such demands. Users tweeted their rage by asking PETA to stop the wet markets in China or ask the same to USA/ Australian dairy and meat markets.
The controversy
In the letter from PETA, they also emphasized to stop “wasting resources to fight the demand for plant-based products”. In response to the letter and the hype created around it on social media, RS Sodhi, Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) which makes Amul Milk tweeted his befitting response by raising a concern about the livelihood of hundred million of landless farmers associated with the brand.
Through his tweet he asked if PETA would provide “livelihood to 100 million dairy farmers (70 percent landless)” and who would take care of “their children's school fee”. He went on to add, “How many can afford expensive lab-manufactured factory food made out of chemicals and synthetic vitamins.”
PETA’s response
Other users raised concern about the price of vegan products as most of the population in the country won’t be able to even afford the price of vegan milk. In response to the outrage of users, PETA responded by tweeting “Would you drink dog's milk? No. Why? Because nature made dog's milk for puppies, cat's milk for kittens, rat's milk for their babies, cow's milk for calves, and human milk for our babies. Nobody needs milk after infancy or the milk of another species.”
The recent development after dismissing the plea
The recent development on the controversy came after the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) rejected the plea filed by PETA against Amul sharing that plant based products can’t be called Milk.
Expressing his views on this, Sodhi added, “These products are nothing but genetically modified lab foods that are made out of chemicals and synthetic materials by big corporations with the only objective of profit making and not livelihood,” he said. He further added: "Foreign funded NGOs are running campaigns to tarnish the Indian dairy industry. Cattle are part of a dairy farmer’s family and nobody tortures them." He further said that plant-based foods companies are encashing on the equity of the milk and dairy industry.