Sena backs Amit Shah heading new 'Cooperation Ministry'; asks 'why not welcome progress?'

In yet another rare instance of backing BJP, ex-ally Shiv Sena on Monday, has slammed criticism against Amit Shah and the new 'Cooperation ministry'. In its mouthpiece Saamana, Sena has defended Shah saying that those insinuating that Centre was taking over co-operatives across India to use against corrupt politicians was insulting the leader. Claiming that Shah himself grew through the co-operative movement, Sena said that Centre may be having big plans to revitalise the co-operatives across states.

Sena backs Shah and new 'Cooperation ministry'

"Rural progress and co-operatives are grounded ministries through which people can be helped which has  been seen in Maharashtra and Gujarat. While Home Ministry is a thankless job, Shah may be aiming at reaching out to people via co-operatives. Shah has links to many Gujarat co-operatives and if he has decided to do something new for the co-operatives, we must welcome this," said Sena.

Taking a dig at NCP-Congress, Saamana added, "Lakhs of farmers, workers are linked with co-operatives across India and to destroy it just because it was started by Congress will not be wise. Several top Maharashtra politicians like Vitthalrao Vikhe-Patil, Dhananjay Gadgil, Vasant Dada Patil, Sharad Pawar have strengthened the Co-operative movement. As Shah is a co-operative movement worker, why not welcome him as the new Cooperation Minister?".

On Sunday, NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar also dismissed fears on Centre's interference into co-operatives. He said, "All the cooperative societies in the state are governed by the Maharashtra State Cooperative Act. The laws are passed in the state legislative assembly and council. The rules of the central and state governments are very well demarcated. They cannot interfere in each other’s jurisdiction. The Centre’s role is restricted to multi-state cooperative banks."

He also added that the Ministry of Co-operation was not a 'new concept' brought forward by the Central government. He said, "I was the Union minister for agriculture for ten years in the UPA government. The cooperation department was under the agriculture ministry then.”

What is the Cooperation ministry?

In the recent Union Cabinet reshuffle, the Centre introduced the first-ever Ministry of Co-operation to provide a separate administrative, legal, and policy framework for Co-operatives. The Ministry will work to streamline processes for ‘Ease of doing business’ for co-operatives and enable the development of Multi-State Co-operatives (MSCS), said the Centre in a press release. Home Minister Amit Shah has been given the new ministry, but is yet to take charge.