- The Karnataka government faces opposition fury for allowing Amul kiosks in Bengaluru Metro stations.
- The opposition claims this decision undermines the state-run Nandini brand and local farmers.
- But Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated Amul was the sole applicant for the kiosk tender.
The Karnataka government has been criticised by the opposition for allowing Gujarat-based dairy brand Amul to open kiosks at 10 Metro stations in Bengaluru. This, the opposition BJP and JDS has declared, means the ruling Congress is failing to promote the state-run brand, Nandini.
Amul has been given approval to set up the kiosks by the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited, which had floated a tender for this purpose. But the opposition has declared the state should have given those 10 kiosks to Karnataka Milk Federation-run Nandini brand instead.
The Janata Dal (Secular), a former ally of the Congress, took aim at the party and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, in a long X post, with the #SaveNandini hashtag, in Kannada.
The JDS accused Mr Shivakumar of having "sold his self-respect for the sake of commission" and slammed the Congress for having "used the Nandini brand" to win votes in the 2023 Assembly election, in which the party scored a surprisingly big win over the BJP.
"Before the elections DK used to boast that the self-respect of Kannadigas is not for sale... today he has put a stop to milk products for those from other states for the sake of commission."
"More than 10 Metro stations in Bengaluru have been allowed to sell milk products from outside the state. The Congress used the Nandini brand, the pride of our farmers and all Kannadigas, for its promotion, (and) forgot about it (after the election) ..." the JDS said on X.
The BJP's PC Mohan has also hit out, saying the Congress had "falsely accused the BJP of favouring outsiders" before the election, but had now "enabled" the "outsiders".
"Ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly election, Congress falsely accused BJP of favouring outsiders. But now, the same Congress government, which oversees BMRCL's operations and maintenance, has enabled Amul kiosks at 10 Metro stations to displace Nandhini. A classic case of hypocrisy."
Mr Shivakumar has responded saying Amul had been the only applicant.
However, faced with the backlash from the opposition, the Deputy Chief Minister said the Karnataka Milk Federation would open Nandini outlets in eight of the above 10 Metro stations.
Amul had already opened outlets in two and "it is not appropriate to close down existing outlets", he said. "We have instructed KMF to submit its application to BMRCL..."
The Amul vs Nandini issue sparked controversy ahead of the 2023 election, with opposition parties accusing the BJP, then in power in the state and at the centre, of trying to undermine Nandini by backing Amul. The Congress turned the issue into a key poll issue.
Now, however, with fresh kiosks allotted, the Nandini vs Amul debate has resurfaced, once again highlighting concerns over support for local farmers and brands.
NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.
