(Left) K Annamalai (Right) TN Minister Mano Thangaraj
The exchange of words started between Tamil Nadu Milk and Dairy Development Minister T Mano Thangaraj and President of Tamil Nadu’s Bharatiya Janata Party unit K Annamalai when the latter, responding to the withdrawal of the popular milk variant “Green Magic” by the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation Limited (Aavin), highlighted the issue through his social media handle. Annamalai also raised concerns about alleged discrepancies in another Aavin product, the Premium milk variant with an orange cover. While the product was advertised to contain 6% fat, Annamalai’s test results revealed a fat content of only 4.79 per cent.
In response to these allegations, Minister Thangaraj opted not to offer a straightforward apology but instead diverted attention by stating, “We are not Savarkar’s family to apologise.” He further challenged Annamalai, asking if he would resort to extreme measures like chopping off his head if an apology was not issued.
Annamalai, in a social media post, accused the government of cheating the public by halting the sale of green packet milk and introducing a purple packet variant with 3.5 per cent fat content. He substantiated his claims with a test report from a Food Safety and Standardisation Authority (FSSAI)-approved laboratory, emphasising the need for providing quality milk at the price paid by consumers. Annamalai highlighted that a one percent drop in fat content should correspond to a reduction in prices by Rs 8.
Minister Thangaraj, however, countered the allegations in a press conference, denying any truth to Annamalai’s claims. He accused Annamalai of conspiring against Aavin by aligning with northern state dairy companies to tarnish the reputation of the Tamil Nadu-based company. Thangaraj also made a sharp comment about Annamalai, referencing a Rolex watch and shepherding a goat, implying a lack of understanding of the situation.
In response to being accused of taking bribes from north Indian milk firms, Annamalai demanded an apology from Minister Thangaraj within 48 hours. Through a post on social media, Annamalai challenged the minister to investigate the allegations through the Tamil Nadu Police, under the supervision of the allegedly corrupt DMK government. He insisted that evidence supporting the minister’s claims should be made public. Annamalai warned that failure to do so would require Thangaraj to apologise for spreading misinformation and resign from his ministerial position, asserting that the minister’s continued tenure is a detriment to the people of Tamil Nadu and to Aavin. The public awaits the resolution of this escalating dispute that has shifted from a milk quality issue to a broader political and ethical debate.
In response to Thangaraj deleting his post accusing Annamalai of being a corporate stooge, Annamalai took to Twitter to brand the DMK Minister a coward. Thangaraj had initially accused Annamalai of working against Aavin, aligning with north Indian dairy companies. After deleting the posts, Thangaraj questioned Annamalai, asking if he was being threatened with the statement, “Will you (Annamalai) chop off my head if I do not apologize within 48 hours?”
Thangaraj reiterated his stance, stating, “There is no change in what I said. We do not belong to Savarkar’s lineage. We are grandsons of Periyar and brothers of Kaliagnar (former DMK president and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi), younger brothers of Thalapathi (CM MK Stalin). We are those who work for the people.”
In a strong response, Annamalai dismissed Thangaraj’s statements and challenged him on the lack of evidence for the allegations. Annamalai accused Thangaraj of spinning stories about his lineage and asserted that such narratives would not hold in the courts. He suggested that Thangaraj consult his brothers to understand the history of apologising.
Annamalai further criticised Thangaraj’s deletion of the post, drawing parallels with the minister’s past derogatory comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Annamalai declared his intention to file a defamation case against Thangaraj, seeking Rs 1 crore as damages. He announced that the awarded amount would be directed towards Aavin as a development fund for Tamil Nadu farmers contributing to the milk cooperative.
In a press conference held in Madurai on November 25, Annamalai made serious allegations against the ruling DMK party, claiming a nexus between private milk players and Aavin, the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation Limited.
Accusing DMK leaders, including Milk and Dairy Development Minister Mano Thangaraj, of being cowards, Annamalai stated that such individuals resort to deleting social media posts only after facing public condemnation. He criticised the DMK for allegedly using false information and derogatory comments as political weapons, asserting that such tactics would have repercussions.
In a direct challenge to Minister Thangaraj, Annamalai questioned the transparency of Aavin and proposed, “Will you (Minister Mano Thangaraj) allow a five-member BJP team into Aavin to see what is going on there?” Annamalai claimed that the BJP team aims to investigate alleged violations, including the employment of child labour within Aavin.
Many on social media have been targeting the DMK Minister over the Aavin fiasco with the hashtag “#கொழுப்புதிருடன்_மனோ” which translated “Fat Thief_Mano”
Annamalai said” Aavin is clearly in crisis and has become an unstable business unlike Amul, which is a successful model of cooperative movement”. The war of words will unfold in the coming days as the DMK government will employ all tricks to divert and dilute the charges to hoodwink the public mainly Aavin consumers.
As the political feud continues to escalate, the public watches closely, witnessing the exchange of barbs and threats between the two prominent figures in Tamil Nadu politics.
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