Written by Divija Vaish, a grade 12 student

Anand Milk Producers Union Ltd., commonly known as Amul, is the world’s eight largest milk processing company and India’s largest milk and dairy producing company. It holds a share of roughly 40%-50% in the cheese market and about 35% in the milk market.

Over the years, there have been an increasing number of complaints about the dairy giant subjecting to animal cruelty and being irresponsible about their animals’ welfare. One such mega-complaint was made by PETA.

What’s PETA?

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than 6.5 million members and supporters. PETA opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview, and focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: in laboratories, in the food industry, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry. We also work on a variety of other issues, including the cruel killing of rodents, birds, and other animals who are often considered “pests” as well as cruelty to domesticated animals. PETA works through public education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, special events, celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns. [as stated on the PETA website].

All of this makes PETA sound like a really good organisation.

So why is Amul urging the PM to ban PETA?

In early June, Amul’s Vice Chairman Valamji Humbal urged the Prime Minister, Mr. Modi, to ban the NGO because it was attempting to “ruin the livelihood of people” and was “tarnishing the image of [India’s] dairy sector.”

Why was Amul saying this? Because PETA urged Amul to capitalise on the rapid rise in veganism in the country and around the world, and to switch to producing vegan options.

“Amul has shown itself to be a bully, unable to appreciate the public’s concern for animals, and a business that apparently cannot change despite changing consumer trends. But no amount of bullying is going to change the fact: vegan eating is taking the world by storm.” said PETA India’s CEO Dr. Manilal Valliyate in a public statement. “Other meat and dairy businesses know that vegans mean good business for them and farmers, and are investing in and creating vegan foods. India is a nation of animal lovers, and now we can be a world leader in compassionate vegan foods too.”

Mr. Humbal said that this move on PETA’s part seems to have been prompted by foreign companies, and that such a move would “render unemployed 10 crore people who are relying on [the dairy industry].”

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