It is not common to see policemen in the campus of NCUI headquarters in Delhi but in the morning, after the world celebrated Co-op Day, on July 4, there were unwelcome activities of policemen in the campus. The matter pertained to 25 years old Ashok Dabas office in the NCUI building. NCUI management has decided to force evict Ashok Dabas, a former GC member from an office he occupied at the 6th floor of NCUI building for the past many years.
When the office boy of Dabas phoned him of the development, Dabas rushed to NCUI but was stopped from entering the building. This led him to Hauz Khas Police Station where he lodged a complaint of criminal trespass against the NCUI management.
Calling it a case of criminal trespass and theft, Dabas phoned Indian Cooperative saying sarcastically “I got a big gift on the occasion of International Day of Co-operative; my office was ransacked by the new satraps of NCUI on the glorious occasion”.
When Indian Cooperative tried to find out the NCUI version of the story from its Chief Executive Sudhir Mahajan, he wrote “Collect status report as submitted against the complaint and not the FIR, to the IO of the case from Estate Division /PR division”.
Later, NCUI mailed the said status report in which chronology of notices sent for rent recovery from Ashok Dabas to his co-op society named Bhartiya Navintam Takneek Avem Nirman Bahu-Rajya Sahkari Samiti Ltd., (BNTNSS) were mentioned.
The status report claimed a sum of 32,64,500/- upto 20.06.2021 is outstanding towards sharing of accommodation and Electricity & Common Service charges from BNTNSS, a cooperative which used to be run by Dabas from the NCUI building .
NCUI report further read “Since it has been decided by the Governing Council of NCUI to reconstruct the NCCE Hostel and hence as a pre-requisite NCUI would require to submit an undertaking to the DDA that no unauthorised construction/encroachment exists in the NCUI premises. The said space encroached by BNTNSS needs to be vacated and cleared to enable us to get clearance from DDA for this new project”, reads the status report.
Dabas, on the other hand has in his police complaint said “For the last 25 years we have been operating the said society in furtherance of promoting the objectives of cooperative movement.
He further wrote “On 4.07 2021 our office boy Mr. Sanjay Kumar had gone to out of the office at about 8.45am and the returned at 12:30 pm when he was not allowed to enter the building and was handed over one polythene bag with some articles and was told to get lost.”
Sanjay informed me that his gold chain, gold ring and cash of Rupees Twenty five thousand (Rs 25000/-) was kept by him in office. There were several office furniture items, electronic items (T.V), Air conditioner, fan, almirahs, all important files, cheque books and other important records and papers of our Society and other member societies.
“Upon coming to know of the incident I rushed to the NCUI building but I was stopped. I called the police at 100 number at around 03:30pm but the police were also not allowed to enter inside the office building”, writes Dabas in his complaint.
Dabas also forwarded a rent agreement with NCUI entered on this 21st day of July, 1994 and which mentioned, among other things, that “both the parties are involved in the development cooperative movement including cooperative education and training, and intend to collaborate with each other for furtherance of these aims.”
The agreement reads the first party(NCUI) has constructed its building at 3, Siri Institutional area, Khel Gaon Marg, New Delhi-110 0 and the second party is desirous of accommodation measuring around 250 sq. ft. on top floor of the building of the first party.
In lieu of the above said accommodation the second part shall strengthen the Corpus/Building Fund of the first party by paying advance contribution of Rs. 55,000/- 3. 20/- per sq. f P.M. in respect of 250 sq. ft. for the period from 21.7.94 to 20.6.95. Bhartiya Navintam Takneek Avem iman Bahu Rajya Sahakari Sangh Ltd. shall enhance the said contribution toward Corpus/Building Fund by 5% every year.
The longish rent agreement sent by Dabas and the NCUI status report on the matter, may be there but the fact remains that the issue never hit this rock bottom ever in the past when Police is being called to the apex body of cooperatives in the country. Cooperative leaders in the past always succeeded in finding a solution through negotiation, keeping in mind the sanctity of NCUI. They always ensured that policemen should never be spotted at NCUI headquarters, a citadel of cooperation in the country.
Even if Dabas was occupying the office illegally as claimed by NCUI Status Report, the question arises why did NCUI not take action for the last 25 years.
The sudden eviction of an Ex GC member, through force and not through negotiation, does not bode well for the cooperative movement and senior co-operators and GC members of the day should ponder over the issue for the sake of sanctity of the prestigious body.