The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the ditchdairy.in website to remove the article titled “The White Lie of Amul And Black Truth Of Animal Milk” from its website and Facebook page named Boycott Milk.
A single judge bench of Justice V. Kameshwar Rao noted that it is also restrained from uploading articles identical or similar to the said articles on the above website/Facebook page till the next date of hearing. The petition has been filed by the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF) and others stating that the defendant no.1 has uploaded the libellous and disparaging article titled “The White Lie of Amul And Black Truth Of Animal Milk” on his website and his Facebook page, wherein the said defendant has specifically targeted the plaintiffs’ milk and milk products under the well-known brand and trademark Amul.
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma briefed by Advocate Abhishek Singh appearing for the plaintiffs submitted that the said website is titled “SKIP MILK, ADD MERCY: Black Truth of White Milk” which is an attempt on behalf of the defendant No.1 to create a bias, fear psychosis and prejudice in the minds of the public at large against milk and dairy products.
Sharma also said that the defendant No.1 through its website, promotes a false narrative that the derivation of milk and milk products by the plaintiffs and their members is done by inflicting cruelty on animals and falsely claiming that dairy products are the cause for several fatal diseases like cancer etc.
Clarifying about the false information being circulated by the said article, Sharma said narrative of the defendant No.1 comparing milk with plant-based beverages is incorrect and it is found that the milk was naturally more nutrient-rich in comparison with plant-based beverages such as soy extract, almond extract etc.
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That apart, his submission is that with respect to food safety, it was found that numerous regulations exist to safeguard the quality of milk, however, with regard to plant-based beverages, regulations exist to stipulate safety levels of known contaminants in the ingredients used in these beverages.