CHENNAI: Leader of Opposition and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday hit out at the DMK government for increasing the price of Aavin ghee and butter and said the present regime increased the price of the Aavin products for the eighth time and leaving the people in distress. It is strongly condemnable.

In 28 months of the DMK regime, the price of the Aavin products has been increased for the eighth time. It burdens the people, who are already facing the problem of inflation.

However, during the AIADMK regime, 40 lakh liters of milk were procured daily. Several measures had been taken to compete with other cooperatives in the country. However, the situation has turned topsy-turvy.

Since the administration of Aavin, under this present dispensation, was unable to pay milk producers on time, they have been avoiding supplying milk to Aavin. This, indeed, resulted in diverting 15 lakh litres of milk to private players discreetly. But Chief Minister M K Stalin was giving statements that the cooperatives from other states were posing a threat to cover up the issue, said Palaniswami.

Boasting that the DMK government had reduced the milk price by Rs 3 per litre, the incompetent government discreetly increased green cover milk by Rs 8 by reducing the fat content by 8.5%. Now, the government has hiked butter and ghee prices ahead of Deepavali festival, he said.

Going by the developments, it creates a doubt that the DMK government is discreetly helping the private players to expand their business in TN, said the LOP and demanded the government to roll back the Aavin products price and streamline the administration of Aavin.