Finance
The National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed by voice vote in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday after an hour-long debate.
Murlidhar Mohol, the Minister of State for Cooperation, spoke to the debate. After a few minutes of sloganeering and calls for the Union Home Minister’s presence in the House, the Opposition walked out and did not continue the discussion.
Before bringing up the Bill, Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh reminded the House that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had encouraged members to prioritize the National Co-operative Development Corporation Bill. When Rajya Sabha proceedings resumed following the earlier adjournment, BJP member Sushmita Dev justified her alleged insulting statements toward CPI(M) member John Brittas.
Earlier in the morning session, shortly after the listed papers were laid on the Table, Brittas raised the issue of being targeted with the “lungiwala” slur by the member Sushmita Dev: “If he feels I need to approach him and say something, I would be delighted to. “I love the people of Kerala, the Northeast, and Karnataka,” she stated.
Leader of the House JP Nadda requested that the relevant members meet in his chamber to settle the “misunderstanding.”
Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers continued to shout slogans over the Ram temple contribution theft and requested the attendance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Upper House.
The Deputy Chairman then asked Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol to present a motion requesting that the Bill to modify the National Co-operative Development Corporation Act, 1962, as enacted by the Lok Sabha be considered.
When the Deputy Chairman invited Mamata Thakur to speak, she questioned why the Home Minister was not present in the House. The Chair did not allow her to continue and summoned the Leader of the Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge.
Kharge made the same issue, claiming that because the Bill was in the name of the Home Minister, he must be present. The Deputy Chairman refused to allow him to speak further and instead invited the Leader of the House, JP Nadda, to react.
Nadda stated that the administration was willing to discuss any topic, but urged the opposition not to avoid the discussion. The proceedings continued. Members that spoke were Ramrao Sakharam Wadkute of the BJP (Maharashtra), KRN Rajesh Kumar of the DMK (Tamil Nadu), and Sulata Deo of the BJP (Odisha).
Deo expressed worry that the Bill attempted to transfer powers from small village cooperatives to the central government. She contended that it would make room for middlemen and shift farmers from the clutches of moneylenders to those of corporations, causing additional suffering.
Dr. M Thambidurai of the AIADMK (Tamil Nadu) spoke in support of the bill. Sanjay Kumar Jha of the JD(U) (Bihar) supported the legislation and highlighted the achievements of the JD(U) government in Bihar through the cooperative sector.
Other supporters were Rajendra Hiralal Jain of the NCP (Maharashtra), Vijaya Chintakayala of the TDP (Andhra Pradesh), Ravi Chandra Vaddiraju of the BRS (Telangana), Amar Pal Maurya of the BJP (Uttar Pradesh), and Dr. M Dhanapal. Following the discussion, the Bill was approved by voice vote. The Deputy Chairman then introduced the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026.
Source: IANS
