HomePoliticsGovernment trying to end autonomy of cooperative sector: Fadnavis

Government trying to end autonomy of cooperative sector: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Cooperative Societies ordinance 2020 passed as Opposition stages walkout

31 District Central Cooperative Banks and several sugar mills in the state are in for elections

Mumbai: The ploy to buy time to leverage the ongoing farm loan waiver scheme to garner additional support during the elections of cooperative institutions, succeeded as the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Ordinance 2020 was passed by the State Assembly today amidst strong objections followed by walkout staged by the Opposition. Terming it to be an attempt to establish total control over cooperative sectors, the Opposition demanded that the same should be sent to Joint Scrutiny Committee to incorporate changes. However, the government pushed the ordinance as the Opposition walked out of the House.

The ordinance brought in to postpone cooperative societies’ elections citing the ongoing farm loan waiver scheme being implemented in the state. According to the cooperatives minister Balasaheb Patil, majority of the voters of cooperative societies are busy due to the farm loan waiver scheme. Hence many of them won’t be able to vote and sought to postpone the elections by six months.  

Speaking on the ordinance, leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis termed it to be an Absurd one and against the Constitution. “It is the clear attempt of government to establish total control over the cooperative sector. Elections can be postponed only in case of natural calamity. The reason cited by the government does not fit the criteria, in fact, it is man-made calamity,” Fadnavis said. He said that, one needs to read between the lines. “The hidden danger in this Ordinance is that, the government could postpone any election using this in future. It will be detrimental to the Constitutional framework,” he said.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar alleged that, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders were exploiting inexperienced chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and sabotaging the farm loan waiver scheme. “The failure of the present farm loan waiver is evident from the fact that more than 300 farmers committed suicide in last three months. The Ordinance needs to be sent to Joint Scrutiny Committee,” Mungantiwar said.

Ashwin Aghor
Ashwin Aghor
Late Ashwin Aghor was a respected journalist whose nearly 20-year career spanned political reporting, investigative journalism, and coverage of infrastructure and environmental governance. His sharp mind, steady integrity, and rare clarity of judgment made him one of the most trusted editorial voices of his generation.

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