Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to direct Gujarat-based dairy giant Amul to desist from milk procurement in the southern state with immediate effect.

Writing to Shah, Stalin drew the Centre's attention to the issues arising out of milk procurement by the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union (Amul) in the Tamil Nadu milk shed area.

Recently, it has come to the state government's notice that Amul has utilised its multi-state cooperative license to install chilling centres and a processing plant in Krishnagiri district, Stalin said.

Also, Amul has planned to procure milk through FPOs and SHGs in and around Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts in Tamil Nadu.

"It has been a norm in India to let cooperatives thrive without infringing on each other's milk-shed area. Such cross-procurement goes against the spirit of Operation White Flood' and will exacerbate problems for the consumers given the prevailing milk shortage scenario in the country. This act of AMUL infringes on Aavin's (TN Co-operative Milk Producers Federation) milk shed area which has been nurtured in true cooperative spirit over decades."

This move by AMUL will create unhealthy competition between cooperatives engaged in procuring and marketing milk and milk products.

"Regional cooperatives have been the bedrock of dairy development in the states and they are better placed to engage and nurture producers and to cushion consumers from arbitrary price hikes.

Therefore, I request your urgent intervention to direct Amul to desist from milk procurement from the milk shed area of Aavin in Tamil Nadu with immediate effect," the Chief Minister said.

Providing a backgrounder to the matter, Stalin said till now, Amul was only selling their products in Tamil Nadu through their outlets.

In Tamil Nadu, like in other States with strong dairy cooperatives, a three-tier dairy cooperative system is functioning effectively since 1981 for the benefit of the rural milk producers and consumers, Stalin said.

"Aavin is our apex cooperative marketing federation. Under the ambit of Aavin co-operative, 9,673 Milk Producers Co-operative Societies are functioning in rural areas. They procure 35 LLPD of milk from about 4.5 lakh pouring members. Under this current arrangement, milk producers are assured of remunerative and uniform prices throughout the year by the cooperative societies."

In order to increase and sustain milk production in Tamil Nadu, Aavin also provides various inputs such as cattle feed, fodder, mineral mixture, animal health care and breeding services for animals of milk producers.

In addition, it ensures the supply of quality milk and milk products to consumers at one of the lowest prices in our country. Thus, Aavin plays a vital role in improving the livelihood of rural milk producers and the meeting the nutritional requirement of consumers, he said.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Bengaluru, Jun 10: The High Court of Karnataka passed an interim order of stay on the complaint filed by a woman, alleging among other things, rape, by her husband with whom she lived for only one day.

“If this cannot be a case where the complainant has abused the process of law, prima facie, there cannot be a better illustration,” the high court said while granting the stay on the criminal process against the husband and his family members.

The husband and his family members had approached the high court challenging the complaint filed by the wife and the registration of the case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The two were colleagues at an MNC motorbike showroom in Bengaluru.

They courted each other for four years before marrying on January 27, 2023 in a temple and they got the marriage registered before the Registrar of Marriages in Malleshwaram. The same day, the wife’s birthday was celebrated.

The husband allegedly came to know of the wife’s earlier affair and her being in touch with the other person on WhatsApp.

ALSO READ: K'taka HC confirms capital punishment on man who killed five, including three of his minor children

An argument broke out the following day, which led to the wife walking out of the matrimonial house on January 29.

“It is averred that she threatened to end the marriage with the first petitioner. From 29.01.2023 to 01.03.2023 close to 32 days there was no interaction between the two, and after 32 days, complainant files a complaint before the jurisdictional police alleging the afore-quoted offences,” the high court noted.

The wife’s police complaint said that she “did not know what happened to her on the date of marriage. She claims she was intoxicated. She further claims that she does not remember having signed anything before the Registrar of Marriages. She further alleges that the petitioners on coming to know of her earlier affair had tortured her. As per the allegations in the complaint, though she was married, because of the aforesaid circumstances, the alleged sexual act between the two after marriage amounts to rape.”

The high court which heard the husband’s and his family members’ petition said, “The complainant having fallen in love, being in a relationship for few years marries the first petitioner, lives for few days and then alleges rape. It does not stop at the first petitioner, but all the members of the family of the first petitioner who were present at the marriage are dragged into the web of crime.”

Granting the interim stay, the high court said, “Therefore, there shall be an interim order of stay of investigation and further proceedings in Crime No.23 of 2023 qua the petitioners, till the disposal of the petition. Accordingly, application stands allowed.”

All the latest news from Karnataka, just one click away. CLICK here to read all the important news from Karnataka in a single click.