A political row has erupted in Karnataka over Nandini ghee with BJP accusing Congress lead state government of being “anti-Hindu”.
Earlier, in May during run up to Karnataka Assembly elections, a similar row had erupted over the entry of Amul, the Gujarat state milk cooperative brand, and its implications for the Karnataka Milk Federation’s (KMF) “Nandini” brand.
The “Nandini” brand is closely tied to the identity of Kannadigas.
The BJP has accused the Congress-run state government of being “anti-Hindu”.
The BJP has accused Congress lead government of stopping the “supply of the ‘Nandini’ brand ghee to the Tirupati Venkateswara temple in Andhra Pradesh for making its famous laddus given as ‘prasad’ to devotees”.
In reaction, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed that the supply had actually been suspended one-and-a-half years ago when the BJP was in power.
Karnataka BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel on Monday tweeted, “Nandini ghee supply to Tirupati Laddu has been stopped due to @INCKarnataka policy of indifference towards temples, Hindu beliefs, and devotion. Fifty years of legacy with Tirupati is watered down and this proves @siddaramaiah’s policy of indifference towards Hindus.”
Soon, former BJP MLA C T Ravi joined in, tweeting, “CONgress shamelessly politicised Nandini issue during the Assembly elections and milked it to malign Amul. After coming to power, the CONgress government increased the price of milk thereby making it impossible for Nandini to supply its ghee to TTD board at the earlier price. Thanks to the incompetent CONgress government, Nandini will no longer supply ghee to prepare the famous Tirupati Laddus. It is very evident that CONgress is hell-bent on destroying Suvarna Karnataka to pursue its agenda.”
Siddaramaiah tweeted, “The supply of Nandini ghee to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh has not been stopped today or yesterday. The supply of ghee to Tirupati was suspended one-and-a-half years ago, during the @BJP4Karnataka government’s tenure. Honorable Member of Parliament @nalinkateel, tell me now, was the previous BJP government against Hindu religious beliefs and devotion? Or was only the then Chief Minister @BSBommai (Basavaraj Bommai) anti-Hindu?”
He added, “The life of the dairy farmers is important to us along with the religious faith of the people. Therefore, if the Tirupati temple agrees to give the price we ask for, in the interest of the State’s farmers, we have no problem in supplying ghee.”
