Kurien in utterly, bitterly row

After directing the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) to stop perks of its founder chairman Dr Verghese Kurien, the state government on Friday did a U-turn, denying any such instructions had been sent to the body.

State agriculture and co-operation minister Dilip Sanghani told DNA on Friday, "We have not told the board anything. Any cooperative board runs as per the co-operative Act, 1963. The government does not interfere in deciding if the perks should be continued or not."

Madhu Srivastava, BJP MLA and chairman of Baroda Dairy, a constituent of GCMMF, had objected to Kurien getting perks saying they were not allowed under the Gujarat Co-operative Act.

The government had written to the GCMMF that facilities like car, driver and cook provided to Kurien should be discontinued. It was seen as a politically-motivated move to humiliate Kurien, known as the father of the white revolution.

A source, who does not wish to be identified, said, "The GCMMF reached a Rs5,000 crore turnover only because of Kurien's vision. Now, the federation has to approach the government for each decision, which shows political interference how is on rise in the organisation."

Kurien, who headed the GCMMF for 33 years, was forced to resign in 2006 after the board members passed a no-confidence motion against him.

Ramsingh Parmar, chairman of Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union Ltd. (Amul dairy) said, "Kurien's privileges [perks] should continue. I don't know why the government has now written to the GCMMF to stop the perks."