'Milkman of India' Dr Kurien quits as GCMMF chairman

Anand, Mar 20 (UNI) 'Milkman of India' Dr Verghese Kurien today resigned as of chairman of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF), the post he was holding since inception of the cooperative giant in 1973.

Dr Kurien, considered as the 'father of the white revolution' in the country, announced his resignation from the federation at a press conference here following a recent decision of majority of the board members to pass a no-confidence motion against him.

Without holding anything personal against the board members, the doyen of India's cooperative dairy movement said, ''I wonder what considerations have prompted them to adopt such a course of action.

I could only think that the decision of the board members for my removal is an orchestrated act involving people at a very high level.'' He said, ''The board has only become a pawn in the bigger game plan of some vested interests bent upon capturing the Rs 3,600 crore cooperative body, which withstood many such attempts in the past.'' Dr Kurien said his concern and worry was that a federation which had emerged as a symbol of cooperative success should not succumb to such designs and in the process harm the interest of the farmer members. ''I am deeply anguished and pained by the recent move of the GCMMF board against me. They have even gone to the board of nominees restraining me from carrying out my function as chairman,'' he added.

''Having served the coperative dairy sector for over five decades with complete dedication and commitment, do I deserve this kind of statement from the board members ?'' he said and added that ''such an act has pained me and at the same time, has raised my concern about the future of the federation.'' UNI SS GK PK PM1323