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Cooperative societies bill passed in Uttarakhand

DEHRA DUN: A controversial Bill seeking to reduce the term of cooperative societies in Uttarakhand from five years to two years was passed by the State Assembly on Thursday by a voice vote amid loud slogan-shouting by the opposition Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party members.

Describing the passage of the Bill as a classic example of “dual face” of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress MLAs Pritam Singh and Dinesh Aggarwal wondered how the saffron party, that was opposing a similar move in Uttar Pradesh, was trying to destabilise the democratically elected societies in Uttarakhand.

The Congress occupied over 90 per cent of the seats in the now-dissolved cooperative societies across the State.

The day began with the Congress and BSP members entering the well of the House shouting slogans accusing the Government of using official machinery to ensure victory of BJP candidates in the cooperative societies elections due early next year. T

here were also some slogans protesting against the steep increase in land circle rates.

Chief Minister Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, who was present in the House, left after a while as the din continued. The House was adjourned thrice.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prakash Pant later told mediapersons that the Opposition was bent on disallowing any discussion by thronging the well of the House and shouting slogans. He hoped that the Congress and BSP party members would allow the House to function and take part in the debates in the coming days.

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Cooperative societies bill passed in Uttarakhand

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