Bhaga Cooperative Society in the vortex of controversy

Special Correspondent

Silchar: When the state is for strengthening and expanding cooperative movement for common people's benefit, there are elements within who act to sabotage it by adopting dubious means. The latest instance in this serial act of betrayal of public cause is the Bhaga cooperative society of Cachar, 30 kms from here. This has been brought into focus at a press- meet organized by Grahak Suraksha Samiti (GSS) on Thursday. Biplob Kumar Goswami, its general secretary, said the fair price shop owners or agents of the cooperative society in question have not been paid their due commission for six months covering the period from March 2018 to August 2018. The department concerned has already released the commission to be paid to them by the cooperative society.

After having come to know the fact, the agents met the chairman and the secretary of the cooperative society and urged upon them to release their commission as soon as possible. They did not pay ant heed to their repeated pleas for reasons best known to them. It came as a shock to them when the chairman and the secretary insisted on them to pay them 30% of their commission money. The money would then be released to them. The chairman and the secretary have made a mockery of the much hyped call of the state to maintain transparency and accountability in all matters, pointed out Goswami.

On their being unrelenting, the fair price shop dealers decided to approach the higher authorities for redressal of their grievances. The chairman and the secretary became enraged and threatened the agents of dire consequences. Both even said openly they would be implicated in false cases and their agent license cancelled. The agents in a joint petition to the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar have alleged misappropriation of around Rs 25 lakh by the chairman and the secretary shown against the repair of the old building and godown of the cooperative society whereas the actual amount has been around Rs 8 to 9 lakh.

The carrying contractor protested against it and for that he was implicated in a fabricated case in order to harass and humiliate him. The Deputy Commissioner has been impressed upon to personally intervene in the matter and cause thorough inquiry in to the affairs of Bhaga cooperative society and bring before public the veracity of their allegations. Unless drastic steps are taken, the once flourishing cooperative society of Bhaga cant be saved which in turn will bring irreparable losses to the agents. According to Biplob Kumar Goswami, under Bhaga cooperative society, there are 62 fair price shops and the family card holders number around 10, 349 which come to a total population of 40,000. On commissions depend the shop dealers and the essential commodities supplied by them help the poor and have nots to sustain themselves.

Also read: Cachar news