Today 24th December is Consumer Rights Day. Grahak jago! On the eve of this day it is simply shocking to see how the ground rules have been flouted so blatantly in appointing the President of the North Goa Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum. What is even more distressing is the silence of veteran consumer rights propagandists who for some reason or the other have not yet protested even after the issue has figured in the newspapers. While the new President is alleged to be below the required age limit of 35 years for the post, has been and continues to be a government counsel which amounts to conflict of interest, worst of all is the allegation in the newspapers of being involved in filing a false addidavit in a consumer case she had represented. Probably, the sheer possibility of an upright, no hanky panky and well qualified advocate being almost a strong favourite to the post, prompted the vested interests to sabotage the process. The move also smells of a possible communal bias to prevent an advocate from the minority community from assuming this post. There seems to be absolutely no respect for any law in the State of Goa. Is it the rule of the mafia that prevails?
-soter
