In the run up to the high-voltage Cooperative Congress being planned by Kerala govt in February, allegations of collecting donation by force have been reported from various quarters.
Reacting angrily to the development Kerala Congress leader K.C.Josef has alleged that lakhs of rupees are being compulsorily collected as donation from cooperative societies for the conference.
Josef threatened boycotting the event if the communists persisted in reducing the event to their narrow party affair.
Josef has also urged the state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to ensure the three day Cooperative Congress scheduled for February 18 in Mindayad in the state does not become an expensive jamboree without meaningful outcomes, reports Hindu.
The Congress leader has sent a letter to the Chief Minister who is scheduled to inaugurate the three-day cooperative event.
Earlier, Kerala minister for cooperation, Kadakampally Surendran released the logo for the Cooperative Congress in an event. Surendran also promised to come up with a new co-op policy aimed at freeing co-ops from unbridled political interference.
The eighth edition of the Sahakarana Congress (Cooperative Congress) which is likely to be inaugurated by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan would be hosted for the first time in Kannur.
Media reports say that the government is preparing a cooperative policy and the Co-op Congress will discuss it and a draft will be made based on the suggestions and inputs. The draft prepared would be introduced in the state Assembly, assured the Minister.
More than 3000 delegates are expected to attend the Congress. Experts of the cooperative sector both from India and abroad are expected to participate in the Congress.
Kerala co-ops have been in news as the govt intends to set up the Kerala Cooperative Bank by merging all district cooperative banks and state cooperative banks. It also grabbed headlines by floating first Islamic Bank in the co-op sector. The leaders of Sahakar Bharati have threatened to lodge a complaint with the Centre.
