Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday dismissed the speculations of merger between the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) and Gujarat’s Anand Milk Union Limited (Amul), triggered after Union home minister Amit Shah’s remarks in Mandya district last week, pushing for “cooperation” between the two drew criticism on social media platforms.
Chief minister Bommai said, “Nandini will always maintain its separate identity.” The Karnataka Milk Federation provides milk and milk products under the brand name ‘Nandini’ .

“The merger of Nandini into AMUL is wrong imagination no one should criticise based on that. Union minister Amit Shah spoke with clarity what he meant was that every one should cooperate, and both Nandini and Amul should cooperate in (terms of) technical (aspects) and marketing,” Bommai told reporters on Sunday

“Amit Shah had said these are two big companies… (and) should work hand in hand… that does not mean merger of the two. The Nandini brand will always remain a separate identity for hundreds of years to come,” Bommai said.

“Shah had said there will be benefits if both of them work together in the same sector. If Nandini or Amul is technically ahead, the same thing can be exchanged, and there could be an exchange in administrative matters. The Union minister’s statement should not be misunderstood and politicised,” Bommai added.
After inaugurating a mega dairy established by the Mandya District Cooperative Milk Producers Associations Federation at a cost of ₹260 crore in Gejjalagere of Mandya district on Friday, Shah had said that if Amul and Nandini work jointly, in three years they will be primary diaries in every village of the state.

“In 47 years, Karnataka has progressed in the dairy sector and the turnover has increased from ₹4 crore to ₹25,000 crore during the same period. Amul and KMF have to work together to boost the cooperative dairy sector in Karnataka,” Shah had said.

KMF will get all technical support and cooperation from Amul, he said, adding that if Karnataka and Gujarat come together in this direction, it will benefit the farmers all over the country.
However, the remarks did not go well with netizens as a Twitter campaign began on Saturday, demanding that the KMF Nandini be saved, with hashtag #SaveNandini trending.

“Nandini, KMF has helped lakhs of farmers in Karnataka. Now, what happens if it merges with Amul? Hundred years history of Vijaya Bank along with Bank of Baroda, the history of SBM with SBI will also be sidelined. In general, the Kannadigas would lose the helm of its administration,” Twitter user Vasanth Shetty said.

Opposition leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah also condemned Shah’s remarks, calling it an attempt to cause injustice to the farmers dependent on dairy farming in the state.

Siddaramaiah alleged that Shah has clearly shown that the corporates of Gujarat have their eyes on Karnataka’s milk dairy sector. “Karnataka farmers’ turnover in milk production is up to ₹20,000 crore and it has helped lakhs of farmers families,” he said. “Now, the corporate eyes have fallen on it and people like Amit Shah with a bundle of lies are preparing to fool the people,” he added.