Bengaluru, 23 April (). Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday alleged that Amul-Nandini has been made an emotive issue in view of next month’s assembly elections in Karnataka.
Things have been twisted and an emotional issue has been made as it is election time in Karnataka, he said.
Assembly elections in Karnataka are to be held on May 10.
The Union Minister said that it is shameless to suddenly say that Amul is being brought to Karnataka to kill Nandini.
He alleged that Gujarat-based dairy cooperative Anand Milk Union Limited (Amul) had entered Karnataka when the Congress came to power.
He said, Amul entered Karnataka when there was a Congress-led government. I am not sure if I should name the Chief Minister of that time. The same respected former chief minister is now questioning the entry of Amul. It was during his time that Amul entered North Karnataka.
The Finance Minister was responding to a question regarding the Amul-Nandini controversy during an interaction with Thinkers Forum, Karnataka here.
Amul-Nandini has become an important issue ahead of the elections, as the opposition Congress and JD-S have alleged that the ruling BJP is trying to eliminate Nandini by merging it with Amul.
Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) sells milk, curd and other dairy products under the brand name Nandini.
“Frankly speaking, it has been twisted and made an emotional issue because it is election time,” he said. Instead of creating a healthy competition and a positive story, the issue was distorted.
Sitharaman said, every state in India has its own milk cooperative society. Nandini of Karnataka.. who doesn’t recognize this? Even now when I have come, I had Nandini’s milk, curd, peda. Of course I will buy Amul in Delhi.
I represent Karnataka in Delhi, I am not a sannyasin mentally saying that I will not drink milk if Nandini is not available. I still buy Amul. It is not against Karnataka.
He informed that Nandini also sells its products in other states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, as dairy products from other states are also available in Karnataka.
That said, I would say there is good competition. So the idea is to strengthen India in every way. This is the reason that India has become the largest milk producer in the world.
He clarified that strengthening Nandini and dairy farmers in Karnataka will continue.
He said that there is no need to bring farmers and women into the political issue.
Stating that there is a need to support the milk farmers of Karnataka, Sitharaman claimed that this is B.S. The Yeddyurappa-led BJP government had increased the procurement price of milk for the first time.
Again, the present BJP government has increased the price by Rs 5, he said. Therefore, the support to milk farmers will continue.
SGK
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