Opposition demands immediate rollback
Hike in milk was an attempt to compensate the huge loss caused by pilferage of milk
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-10-26 06:13 GMT
Chennai: Opposition parties in the state on Saturday slammed the government for milk price hike and demanded an immediate roll back. DMK president M. Karunanidhi alleged that the Rs10 per litre hike was an attempt to compensate the huge loss caused by the massive pilferage of milk unearthed in Aavin recently. Recalling the AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa’s criticism when his government had ordered a marginal price rise of Aavin milk in February 2011, he said the present hike was an expression of the ruling AIADMK’s animosity towards middle class families, particularly their children.
Calling the hike ‘unacceptable’, Tamil Nadu Congress president B.S. Gnanadesikan demanded its withdrawal. BJP national executive member L. Ganesan pointed out it was the government’s duty to control the prices of essential commodities and it should function with service motive and not look at mere profits. His state party president Tamilisai Soundararajan has even threatened to launch a “massive statewide agitation” if the Aavin price hike is not withdrawn.
PMK chief Dr S. Ramadoss termed as ‘unfortunate’ the price hike decided at the very first cabinet meet chaired by O. Panneerselvam and wondered if the new Chief Minister had deliberately chosen to increase the cost of essentials so that the people would hail the predecessor Jayalalithaa regime as being better than his.