Link Between Milk and Beef Industries Exposed: Youth Hold Impactful Protest in Pune

White Revolution or Pink Revolution? Pune Animal Liberation Reveals the Reality

Pune  : As part of a nationwide campaign being conducted during Republic Day week, young citizens in Pune drew attention to the interconnection between India’s milk production system and the beef export industry. The youth-led animal rights organisation Pune Animal Liberation organised an informative and visually impactful public exhibition at Sambhaji Garden on J.M. Road.

The exhibition highlighted that while India is the world’s largest producer of milk, it is simultaneously one of the leading exporters of beef. According to government and international data, India produces over 230 million tonnes of milk annually and exports more than 1.3 million tonnes of beef each year. Activists claimed that the dairy supply system directly feeds into the beef supply chain.

When animals lose their milk-producing capacity or are no longer economically profitable, they are sold off and diverted to the meat industry. The initiative emphasised that the dairy industry and the beef trade are not separate entities, but are closely and structurally linked.

Activists pointed out that injured, malnourished cows that have stopped producing milk and are commonly seen on city streets are the most visible evidence of this connection. In several areas of Pune, such cows are seen consuming plastic waste along with garbage, a situation the organisers described as deeply alarming.

Speaking on the issue, animal rights activist Pravin said, “Many cows seen on the streets after they stop giving milk actually come from nearby dairies, a fact most people are unaware of. To understand the link between the milk and meat industries, citizens should watch the documentary ‘Maa Ka Doodh’.”

Animal rights activist Shweta Borgaokar added, “There is a widespread belief that the milk and meat industries are separate. However, data shows they are part of the same chain. Once animals are no longer useful for milk production, they are pushed into the meat industry. Creating public awareness about this reality is essential.”

Chetan Shinde remarked, “Without the ‘Pink Revolution’ of meat production, the ‘White Revolution’ of dairy cannot exist. The rising demand for milk leads to the creation of animals whose responsibility ultimately falls on the slaughter industry. It is time to stop viewing these two industries in isolation.”

Organisers stated that similar exhibitions have been held at busy public locations in Thane, Bengaluru, Jaipur, and nine other cities across the country. The objective of the campaign, they said, is to break the silence around the inseparable link between the dairy industry and the meat trade.