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Milk is the flavour UP elections

Onion and potatoes may have dominated elections in the past, but it is milk which is the flavour of the season in Uttar Pradesh this time.

Thousands of consumers in the state had to face acute milk shortage for more than three days due to a strike of private milk vendors. Though the strike covered the entire state, Lucknow, Kanpur and Varanasi were the districts worst affected.

The strike was called off yesterday following talks between the state administration and milk vendor's representatives.

It all started when the district administration received several complaints of synthetic milk being supplied in the market. Soon, a special drive to check adulteration of milk was initiated and action was taken against several milk vendors.

The National Security Act was evoked in as many as 34 cases and raids were conducted on the premises of several dairy-owners and affluent milk dealers in Kanpur district.

Though these measures were welcomed by the people, milkmen were soon up in arms alleging that that state and police officials were harassing them on the pretext of collecting samples. They were supported by several small leaders who were quick to smell an opportunity to embarrass the government.

The politicisation of milk was complete when the Samajwadi Party chief, Mulayam Singh Yadav, jumped into the arena asking milkmen to pour their milk into Gomti river to teach government a lesson.

Though milkmen were divided over the issue of resorting to a strike, there was unanimity on the need of a proper system for collection of samples.

After prolonged negotiations an agreement was reached between the administration and representatives of milkmen yesterday in which it was agreed that only a team led by the sub-divisional magistrate would now collect samples and the police would have no role in it.

Meanwhile, alleging that the state government had launched a misinformation campaign against milkmen, Yadav has threatened that the farmers would stop supply of foodgrains and vegetables if milkmen's ''harassment'' continued.

UNI

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