Sanjay Raut targets Centre over alleged injustice to Maharashtra's cooperative banking sector

Shiv Sena UBT Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah raising concerns over the passage of the National Cooperative Development Corporation Amendment Bill 2026 and the inauguration of the National Urban Cooperative Finance Development Corporation NUCFDC office in MumbaiIn a letter dated August 20 2026 Raut also copied Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and NCP president Sharad Pawar He questioned recent decisions concerning assets linked to the states urban cooperative banking sectorRaut said he had deliberately written the letter in Marathi so that the public could understand what he described as injustice is being perpetrated against Maharashtras urban cooperative banking sectorRaut questions passage of cooperative development BillRaut alleged that the National Cooperative Development Corporation Amendment Bill was passed in haste and without adequate parliamentary discussion or scrutinyHe also questioned the role of NUCFDC in relation to the assets of the Apex Urban Cooperative Bank of Maharashtra and Goa alleging that its property had been taken over without the consent of the banks membersRaut described the development as an attack on Maharashtras cooperative movement and questioned the process through which the property was transferredAccording to Raut the Bill was passed during Parliaments Monsoon Session without sufficient consideration of the concerns surrounding the states cooperative banking institutionsMumbai NUCFDC office becomes point of contentionRaut also questioned the inauguration of the NUCFDC office in Mumbai on August 8 2026He said the premises had previously served as the headquarters of the Apex Urban Cooperative Bank of Maharashtra and Goa an institution whose operations were funded by cooperative entities in the stateThe Apex Bank has been under liquidation for several years while member societies are awaiting distribution of its assets Raut said the situation had become particularly significant because recovery claims involving Madhavpura Mercantile Cooperative Bank are pending before the Supreme CourtHe alleged that cooperative bank members in Maharashtra were neither consulted nor asked to provide consent before the premises were allocated for use by NUCFDCRaut seeks disclosure of transfer documentsRaut also questioned the absence of details concerning the transfer of the premises from the websites of the Ministry of Cooperation and the Central Registrar of Cooperative SocietiesHe called for the Ministry of Cooperation to make public all administrative decisions orders and related documentation concerning the transfer of Apex Bank assetsAccording to Raut making the documents public would help establish how the decision was taken and whether the interests of the cooperative institutions and their members were adequately consideredQuestions raised over NUCFDCs structureRaut also raised concerns over the structure of NUCFDC which he said operates as a NonBanking Financial Company NBFC registered in DelhiHe questioned the absence of representation from Maharashtras urban cooperative banks on the NUCFDC Board of Directors despite the organisation receiving substantial capital from the stateThe Shiv Sena UBT MP argued that Maharashtras cooperative banking sector should have an appropriate voice in decisions involving assets and institutions connected to the states cooperative movementDemand for transparency over Apex Bank assetsRaut has urged the Cooperation Ministry to disclose the complete record of administrative decisions related to the transfer of Apex Banks assetsHe said transparency was necessary to address concerns among cooperative societies and members waiting for the distribution of assets following the banks liquidationWith inputs from IANS