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- By Parinda News Bureau, March 21, 2006, 11:56 IST
Dr Verghese Kurien, described as the father of India's milk revolution, has put in his papers as the the chairman of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation that he helped build 33 years ago. Kurien alleged that vested interests were out to "capture" the dairy body.
Kurien was often described as the 'Milkman' who turned flagship brand Amul into a household name and a brand with major recall.
Kurien resigned to preempt a move by the dairy federation's Board to oust him.
"I would like to inform you that I have today tendered my resignation as the member and chairman of the board of directors of GCMMF," Kurien, 84, told reporters here.
His wife and daughter escorted Kurien to the Institute of Rural Management, where he held the press meet. Staff and students of came in large numbers to listen to him.
Kurien said he was "anguished and pained" by a proposed move of the GCMMF board to pass a no confidence motion against him." The board's meeting was scheduled to discuss it on March 24.
"Having served the co-operative dairy sector for over five decades with dedication and commitment, do I deserve this kind of treatment from the board members?" he asked.
Kurien, who has been the Chairman of GCMMF since its inception in 1973, came to Anand in 1948 and established a network of cooperatives in Gujarat, including world class institutions like NDDB, NCDFI and IRMA.
"Such acts pain me and at the same time have raised my concerns about the future of GCMMF," he said.
"The board has only become a pawn in the bigger game plan of some vested interests bent on capturing the co-operative body, which has withstood such attempts in the past," he explained.
"I did my best to fulfil the dreams of India's farmers. In the process I might have antagonized some people and confronted certain vested interests," Kurien elaborated.
But he said he had no "personal grudges" against anybody in this matter. "Further, I would like to mention that the Board had elected me unanimously just three months back as the Chairman for a period of three years," Kurien said.
"I am sure I have not caused any harm to GCMMF or the farmers in general to warrant a no-confidence move by the board," the mechanical engineer-turned dairy engineer said. Kurien, a recipient of innumerable awards, including the Padma Vibhushanand Ramon Magsaysay Award for community leadership, wondered what "considerations prompted the members to adopt such a course of action."
"I can only think that die recent decision of the Board members to seek my removal is an orchestrated act involving people at a very high level. I have taken the decision to quit in deference to ,the recent order of the Gujarat High Court on the issue of co-option of members on the management committee of the cooperative bodies. I have taken the decision as a person firmly believing in rule of law and principles of cooperatives," Kurien said.
Later, he accused the incumbent GCCMF Managing Director of instigating the no-confidence move and also asked the ' Gujarat government and the UPA government at the Centre to order an "inquiry" into the working of certain co-operatives in Anand. "All co-operative institutions' in Anand have, been created with the sole purpose of helping farmers by giving them direct ownership and control of the organisations," Kurien said.
"Of late, however, some of these institutions are drifting -away from their original mission of supporting the cause of farmers' co-operatives," he remarked. Kurien said that he had offers from Pakistan and a host of African countries.
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