'Amit Shah's Evil Ploy': Congress intensifies attack on BJP as 'Amul vs Nandini' row blazes on in Karnataka

A Congress leader claimed that the 'ploy' started with Shah's Karnataka visit in December 2022, when the home minister said that Amul and Nandini should collaborate

The Congress on Monday accused the BJP of trying to push 'Amul' in place of 'Nandini' in Karnataka, claiming it is part of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's "deliberate" attempt to destroy the state's product, make it less competitive and destroy its identity.

The party on its official Twitter handle called it "Amit Shah's Evil Ploy" and raised five questions to Karnataka BJP supporters on why they were justifying the move, while Congress leader Srivatsa said that for local BJP leaders, doing what Shah wants is more important than the livelihood of 26 lakh dairy farmers.

"This is Shah’s deliberate attempt to make Nandini less competitive and destroy its identity. This is not a fight between Amul, a great brand that the Congress policies helped create and Nandini. It is actually a sinister plot of Amit Shah to control more and more co-operatives outside Gujarat, which are then misused politically during elections," the Congress tweet said.

Also Read | Protest in Bengaluru as Amul versus Nandini row intensifies, protesters detained

"Do Karnataka BJP leaders owe their loyalty to the state and its dairy farmers or to Shah’s damaging plans against a local brand? It is clear, BJP’s immoral 40% Commission Govt. has decided to support those who are plotting to destroy the livelihoods of people in Karnataka and hurt the state’s pride. It is time to vote them out," the tweet read.

It said the previous Congress government gave an incentive of Rs 5 per litre to farmers under Ksheera Bhagya scheme and this resulted in an increase in milk production from 43 lakh litre in 2014 to 75 lakh in 2018.

"Under the BJP government, incentive was not increased at all and milk production in Karnataka has fallen to 70 lakh litres creating scarcity in retail and hospitality sectors," the party said.

Also Read | Are you now trying to steal Nandini from us: Siddaramaiah asks Modi

Srivatsa said in his tweet that the "foolish" Karnataka BJP leaders are "justifying" Amul's entry and attacking Congress leaders who are supporting Nandini. He reminded the saffron party supporters that the Karnataka-based profit making Vijaya Bank was taken over by the loss-making Bank of Baroda, while asking, "does a loss making bank ever take over a profit making one?!"

He said the BJP has made a "huge blunder" by trying to push Amul against Nandini during election time and claimed that it all started with Shah's Karnataka visit in December last year, when the home minister said Amul and Nandini should collaborate.

"Can Karnataka BJP leaders answer why Nandini is not being asked to sell in Gujarat? Why Amul is taking on the second largest co-operative Nandini when there is an unwritten rule not to compete against other cooperatives? Why not focus on the fight against private dairy companies in other states?" Srivatsa asked.

Noting that Karnataka’s farmers understand BJP’s game plan and are hence protesting, Srivatsa said, "this issue during elections will hit the BJP big time and ensure its loss in 60-70 seats where Karnataka Milk Federation is strong. BJP's 40% commission government has committed political harakiri by trying to destroy lakhs of livelihoods and hurting Karnataka’s pride."