Guj govt openly interfering in dairy co-ops: Kurien's ex-aide

A former aide of Dr Verghese Kurien, a pioneer of 'white revolution' in the country, today said the BJP government in Gujarat was interfering in the functioning of the constituents of GCMMF (the owner of 'Amul' brand products), and his vision was being diluted.
Dr Kurien, who died in 2012, is credited with shaping the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) as a world-class dairy cooperative. GCMMF had a turnover of Rs 20,733 crore last fiscal.
"The essence of Dr Kurien's vision-mission, and the raison d'etre is getting diluted day-by-day," said P A Joseph, general manager (HR, Admin and Corporate Communication), Dudhsagar Dairy, one of the constituents of GCMMF.

"Government interference in the affairs of the dairy cooperatives is becoming more blatant," he said in a statement issued here.
Joseph had served as the private secretary and executive assistant to Dr Kurien and was considered to be one of his closest associates.
His comments come amid allegations that the BJP government is trying to wrest control of dairy cooperatives in Gujarat from those affiliated to Congress or otherwise opposed to the BJP.
After a long legal battle, the Registrar of Cooperatives recently removed Vipul Chaudhary, considered to be close to the Congress leader Shankarsinh Vaghela, as the chairman of Mehsana District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union, also known as Dudhsagar Dairy. A custodian was appointed at the dairy.

The battle for the control of Anand District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union has reached the High Court after the Registrar questioned the election of Congress MLA Ramsinh Parmar.