Hoshiarpur: Former MP Avinash Rai Khanna stated that a large consignment of milk powder from Verka—the Punjab government's cooperative brand—has been rejected by the Indian Army for failing to meet quality standards; this is an extremely shameful matter for the Punjab government. Khanna remarked that this incident has raised serious questions regarding the state's dairy industry and the Punjab government itself.
He asserted that it appears the Punjab government has given birth to a new "milk mafia" in the guise of Verka. Khanna revealed that the Jammu-based Army Service Corps has returned approximately 125 metric tonnes of milk powder supplied by Verka.
According to reports, the Indian Army has stated that if samples are not collected within seven days, the consignment will be destroyed by a committee of officials. Khanna termed this incident a "sick joke" played by the Punjab government upon the armed forces responsible for defending the nation. He demanded that the Punjab government apologize to the Indian Army for this lapse.