- Yesterday it was Chittoor Dairy; today, a conspiracy to destroy Vijaya Dairy
- Chandrababu’s ‘Red Book’ now being used against his own party men
- ₹1,200-crore turnover; alleged plot to seize control of farmers’ assets worth hundreds of crores
- Democratically elected Chairman allegedly forced to resign within hours
- Inhuman pressure on Chalasani allegedly continued even from his hospital bed
- Whose orders from the “high command” were behind the intervention of Ministers Parthasarathy and Kollu Ravindra?
- Directors allegedly confined at a Minister’s residence and threatened to move a no-confidence motion
- Will an institution belonging to 1.5 lakh dairy-farmer families be sacrificed for Heritage’s interests?
- Is there fear that Vijaya Dairy’s expansion will intensify competition for Heritage?
- Are powerful interests eyeing Vijaya Dairy’s valuable 24-acre land near Gannavaram?
- Widespread criticism over the Chandrababu government’s high-handedness
After setting its sights on one public asset after another for privatisation, the Chandrababu government has now turned towards dairy farmers’ cooperative institutions. After government medical colleges, ports, fishing harbours, government lands and RTC assets, allegations are now mounting that a conspiracy has been set in motion to weaken Vijaya Dairy as well.
Criticism is growing that attempts are being made to bring the Krishna Milk Union — with a turnover of ₹1,200 crore and farmers’ assets worth hundreds of crores — completely under the control of the ruling establishment, allegedly to serve the business interests of Heritage Dairy, which is owned by Chandrababu Naidu’s family.
The manner in which Chalasani Anjaneyulu, who was democratically elected Chairman of Vijaya Dairy, was allegedly forced to resign within a matter of hours has further strengthened these suspicions. Despite being a leader of their own party, he was allegedly threatened and subjected to such intense pressure that he had to be hospitalised. Even there, he was allegedly not spared, with his signature reportedly obtained on a resignation letter while he was undergoing treatment. The episode has emerged as a glaring example of the alleged high-handedness of the Chandrababu government.
Yesterday Chittoor, Today Vijaya!
Serious allegations have long been levelled against Chandrababu Naidu that cooperative dairies were systematically weakened during his tenure in the undivided Andhra Pradesh between 1995 and 2004, paving the way for private dairy companies.
In particular, allegations that the Chittoor Cooperative Dairy was deliberately weakened to advance Heritage’s business interests have continued to haunt him.
Dairy farmers are now concerned that the same history is being repeated with Vijaya Dairy. If Chittoor Dairy was allegedly sacrificed for Heritage in the past, allegations are now being made that senior figures in the government themselves have entered the field to weaken Vijaya Dairy.
Who Owns Vijaya Dairy?
Vijaya Dairy is not Chandrababu Naidu’s family enterprise. Nor is it a TDP office. It is a cooperative institution built over nearly six decades since 1960 through the participation, investment and hard work of lakhs of dairy farmers. Around 1.50 lakh dairy-farmer families are associated with the Krishna Milk Union. In Vijayawada alone, it supplies around 2.60 lakh litres of milk every day, while approximately 4.60 lakh litres are supplied across the State. Apart from milk, curd and ghee, it manufactures nearly 84 varieties of dairy products. The institution has grown to achieve an annual turnover of around ₹1,200 crore and owns assets worth hundreds of crores. This raises a fundamental question: Is the government’s attempt to exercise control over Vijaya Dairy merely about the Chairman’s post? Or is there a larger strategy to gain control over the cooperative’s valuable assets and market?
Unanimously Elected — Forced to Resign Within Hours!
The election at the meeting of Vijaya Dairy directors was conducted in accordance with the rules. With the support of an overwhelming majority of directors, TDP leader Chalasani Anjaneyulu was unanimously re-elected Chairman.
Until that point, everything had proceeded democratically.
But why was Chalasani’s election unacceptable to the government’s top leadership? Why was a person unanimously elected by the directors required to step down on the very same day?
Why did Ministers Kollu Ravindra and Kolusu Parthasarathy intervene immediately after the election? Whose instructions were they acting upon?
Directors have alleged that Chalasani was pressured with the message: “The high command has decided; you have to step down.”
It is alleged that even when he sought one day’s time, his request was rejected and a blank sheet of paper was placed before him, with pressure allegedly exerted on him to write that he was resigning for personal reasons.
What else can it be called but an abuse of power when a democratically conducted election is rendered meaningless within hours on the alleged instructions of those in power?
Inhuman Pressure Even on a Hospital Bed
Directors have stated that Chalasani Anjaneyulu became seriously unwell under the pressure allegedly exerted by Ministers and was admitted to a private hospital.
Was he at least allowed to recover? Allegations suggest otherwise.
More disturbing allegations have surfaced that pressure was even exerted on the hospital management to discharge him immediately.
Photographs reportedly showing Minister Parthasarathy visiting Chalasani while he was undergoing treatment on a hospital bed and obtaining his signature on a resignation letter have triggered a serious controversy. Reports suggested that his medical condition was serious enough to require a stent.
Is control over a cooperative institution more important than a person’s life? Has the government fallen to such a level that it cannot show compassion even towards an ailing leader of its own party?
Is the politics of forcibly obtaining signatures — witnessed during the political upheaval involving N.T. Rama Rao — now being repeated at Vijaya Dairy?
Were Directors Confined at a Minister’s Residence?
Allegations have also surfaced that Vijaya Dairy directors who supported Chalasani Anjaneyulu were summoned to Minister Kollu Ravindra’s residence and kept there for hours.
The directors reportedly questioned how they could immediately move a no-confidence motion against a Chairman whom they themselves had unanimously elected. Despite their objections, pressure allegedly continued.
There are also allegations that they were warned that unless Chalasani resigned, inquiries would be ordered into the affairs of the dairy, cases would be registered and his political future would be destroyed.
Reports further allege that even his family members were subjected to pressure and that his son, who was in the United States, was contacted and warned.
If these allegations are true, the government must answer a simple question: Was this an election in a cooperative dairy, or a political kidnapping under the supervision of those in power?
The ‘Red Book’ Against Their Own People
The so-called “Red Book Constitution”, which has been accused of being used against Opposition leaders, activists, social-media volunteers and business establishments, is now allegedly being applied even against leaders of the ruling party.
Chalasani Anjaneyulu is not a YSRCP leader. Nor is he an Opposition activist fighting the government. He belongs to the TDP itself.
Yet, the alleged threats, pressure leading to his hospitalisation and pressure on his family merely because he did not unquestioningly comply with the wishes of the government leadership send a disturbing signal that even ruling-party leaders are not secure under the Chandrababu–Lokesh administration.
The apparent attitude that the word of Chandrababu and Lokesh is law, that only persons approved by them can occupy positions, and that anyone elected by directors must resign if the party high command disapproves strikes at the very foundations of the cooperative spirit.
Fear of Growing Competition for Heritage?
Vijaya Dairy recently established its second unit at Veeravalli in Bapulapadu mandal. The new facility has created capacity to process around three lakh litres of milk and one lakh litres of curd per day.
The institution has also drawn up expansion plans with the objective of procuring as much as 10 lakh litres of milk per day directly from farmers.
If these expansion plans succeed, Vijaya Dairy will become substantially stronger in Krishna and NTR districts as well as the Vijayawada region.
This could potentially intensify competition with the Chandrababu family-owned Heritage Dairy, both in milk procurement from farmers and in the consumer market.
Against this background, allegations have surfaced that Chalasani was removed in an attempt to obstruct Vijaya Dairy’s expansion and install a management favourable to those in power.
The Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham leaders have themselves raised the question: “Will the cooperative Vijaya Dairy be sacrificed for Heritage?”
The question reflects the seriousness of the suspicions surrounding the entire episode.
Are They Eyeing Assets Worth Hundreds of Crores?
Allegations are also being made that the interest of powerful figures extends beyond Vijaya Dairy’s market share to its assets worth hundreds of crores.
In particular, suspicions have been raised regarding approximately 24 acres of highly valuable land belonging to the institution near Gannavaram.
Farmer organisations have alleged that there could be two objectives behind attempts to bring the governing body under political control: preventing Vijaya Dairy’s expansion from becoming a serious competitor to Heritage, and securing influence over the cooperative’s highly valuable lands and other assets.
Ministers Rush In for a Post!
Directors point out that when Vijaya Dairy and its farmers faced difficulties during the Budameru floods, adequate support was allegedly not forthcoming from the government.
The government showed little urgency on issues such as ensuring remunerative prices for farmers, providing cattle feed and expanding marketing opportunities. Yet when it came to changing the Chairman, Ministers themselves entered the field.
The responsibility of a government in relation to a cooperative institution is to support its farmers — not to decide who should be its Chairman.
Threatening an elected governing body, pressuring directors and allegedly obtaining the resignation of a person while he is hospitalised cannot be considered legitimate functions of government.
Does the Government Have Answers to These Questions?
1. Why was Chalasani Anjaneyulu allegedly forced to resign after being unanimously elected by the directors?
2. Who exactly was the “high command” that ordered Chalasani to step down? Where did those instructions originate?
3. Why did Ministers Kollu Ravindra and Parthasarathy intervene in the internal election of a cooperative institution?
4. Why was pressure allegedly exerted on a person undergoing treatment in hospital and on his family members?
5. Can the government categorically state that Heritage’s business interests and Vijaya Dairy’s valuable assets had absolutely nothing to do with the entire episode?
No Political Domination Over Farmers’ Assets
Vijaya Dairy belongs to the farmers.
It is an institution built through the labour and contribution of 1.5 lakh dairy-farmer families. Neither Chandrababu Naidu’s family nor the TDP high command has the right to sacrifice such an institution for political or private interests.
The democratically elected governing body must be allowed to function independently. Government interference, alleged threats by Ministers and pressure on directors must stop immediately.
There must be an impartial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Chalasani Anjaneyulu’s resignation. If his signature on the resignation was obtained under coercion, that resignation must be rejected.
Chandrababu Naidu has long faced criticism that Chittoor Dairy was weakened in the past to benefit Heritage. Through the developments now surrounding Vijaya Dairy, his government has itself created room for suspicions that the same pattern is being repeated.
If the government believes that farmers’ cooperative institutions across Andhra Pradesh can be sacrificed at the altar of Heritage, dairy farmers will not remain silent.
Vijaya Dairy belongs to the farmers. Political domination by Chandrababu and Lokesh over farmers’ assets cannot be allowed.
