SALEM: Within three days, the Statewide indefinite strike of milk producers has already fizzled out.
Announcing here on Wednesday that the stir was being postponed, K A Sengotuvel, State president, Tamil Nadu Milk Producers Welfare Association, accused the State government of intimidating milk suppliers.
Sengotuvel said producers and farmers were virtually cornered by the high-handedness of officials from the dairy development and revenue department, cooperatives, police and the ruling party district secretaries and MLAs. Milk producers were threatened with dire consequences, he alleged.
Farmers were threatened that they would not be able to avail of current and futture welfare schemes if they continued to support the strike, Sengotuvel said.
Farmers were also forced to supply milk to cooperative societies during the strike, he said and alleged that false cases were booked against two district presidents of the association, following which they were arrested. Participants in the protest were stopped from taking part in it, he complained.
Sengotuvel also emphasised on the need to save milk cooperative societies, which were becoming obsolete, as private players, in which many State and Central ministers had a stake, were entering the scene.
He said milk producers were being lured by private dairies, that were offering a higher price. He assured that the association would renew its strategy to strengthen grassroots participation.