BENGALURU: A row has erupted again over the state-owned Nandini and Gujarat-based Amul milk brands. It has come to light that BMRCL has signed a memorandum with the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd to set up Amul kiosks at ten major Metro stations in Bengaluru. It is taking a political turn with opposition party members slamming the state government for not initiating steps to set up the state-owned Karnataka Milk Federation kiosks to sell Nandini products.
In its house journal, BMRCL has mentioned that it signed a deal with Amul to set up the kiosks at Pattandur Agrahara, Indiranagar, Benniganahalli, Byappanahalli, Trinity, Sir M Visvesvaraya, Nadaprabhu Kempegowda (Majestic), National College, Jayanagar and Banashankari stations.
“Now, Metro users can buy milk, chocolates, ice-cream, instant food products and snacks at stations. This is to improve commuter convenience by providing access to trusted dairy products within Metro premises,’’ the journal mentions. BMRCL sources said they had called for tenders and Amul won the bid.
Expressing displeasure, JDS posted on ‘X’ that Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has sold his ‘’self-respect’’ for the sake of commission and his double-standards have been exposed. “Before the Assembly polls, Congress had launched the Save Nandini campaign, extending their support to KMF. But now for the commission, Shivakumar is inviting companies / people from outside Karnataka,’’ it alleged.
JDS stated, “By allowing Amul products, State government is damaging the interest of Nandini brand.”
In 2022, Union Minister for Cooperatives Amit Shah, when he was in Mandya, stated that KMF and Amul should cooperate. This had triggered a controversy, with protesters stating that Shah was aiming at merging the two milk cooperatives. Congress, too, had voiced its opinion against the Union minister.
In April 2023, just before the Karnataka Assembly polls, Amul had announced that it would sell its milk and curds in Karnataka, Congress which was in opposition at that time made it a part of its election campaign and built a narrative that the then BJP government was laying out a red carpet for Amul, while ignoring the welfare of local farmers.