The consumer ministry-NCCF standoff has made Bijender Singh Nafed Chairman and one of the Directors on the Board of NCCF made blistering attack on the style of functioning of mandarins of the Consumer Affairs Ministry.
Consumer Ministry and NCCF are locked in fight after the ministry sent a notice to the latter under Section 122 of MSCS 2002. A peeved Board consisting of cooperative leaders and led by Chairman Virendra Singh has challenged the government in court.
The notice accuses the Chairman and the Board of conducting meetings and taking decisions without the approval of a competent authority. In the ministry’s view, Managing Director is the competent authority.
Talking to Indian Cooperative Nafed Chairman Mr Singh said that it was wrong of Ministry to write a letter singling out the Chairman Virendra Singh when in reality the entire board was party to the decisions of January 21st meeting.
“It was a collective decision, a board’s decision and how can Ministry issue notice under section 122 of MSCS Act only to the Chairman”, he asked.
In reply to the question if he is with the NCCF’s Chairman on the issue, Nafed Chairman said “very much”. Not only that I am signatory to the petition challenging Ministry’s order in the court, he was quick to add.
Caught in the whirlpool of elections as soon after the completion of Lok Sabha poll on 10 th of April he had to jump into Delhi state cooperative elections which is underway currently, Bijender Singh is known as one who does not mince his words.
Thanking him Virendra Singh, NCCF Chairman said that all Directors are with me on the issue and most of them are signatory to the court petition.
NCCF has prominent cooperators such as NCUI President Chandra Pal Singh, Nafed Chairman Bijendra Singh, Vishal Singh and others on the Board and the fight with Ministry is indeed going to be interesting, quipped an observer.