Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has lashed out at the state’s BJP government for welcoming ‘Gujarat-based Amul’ in the state even though he had not allowed the dairy brand’s entry during his time as the head of the state government.
In a series of tweets, Siddaramaiah wrote, “Beware of @PMOIndia, @narendramodi, @HMOIndia, @AmitShah & their double engine govt!! They will sell all the assets belonging to Kannadigas. After destroying our banks, they are now determined to destroy Nandini KMF (Karnataka Milk Federation) – a brand built by our farmers.
#SaveNandini.”
The veteran politician added, “Gujarat based Amul had previously tried to enter Karnataka’s market to sell milk and curd. We had not allowed it to happen then, but now @BJP4Karnataka is welcoming them with open arms.”
“KMF has witnessed a fall in the procurement of milk under @BJP4Karnataka govt. Instead of usual collection of about 99 lakh litre, the collection has dropped to 71 lakh litre. Is this part of the conspiracy against KMF, @BJP4Karnataka. #SaveNandini.”
Beware of @PMOIndia @narendramodi, @HMOIndia @AmitShah & their double engine govt!!
They will sell all the assets belonging to Kannadigas. After destroying our banks, they are now determined to destroy Nandini KMF – a brand built by our farmers.#SaveNandini pic.twitter.com/TtaffDnDMo
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 7, 2023
In January this year, Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai was forced to issue a statement ruling out the merger of the state’s popular dairy brand Nandini with Amul after a row broke out over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments on the state’s milk cooperative.
Addressing a public event in Mandya in January, Shah had said that if Amul and Nandini work together jointly, in three years there will be primary diaries at every village level. This had prompted many to fear that the Indian home minister was suggesting a merger of Amul and Nandini.