Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (INDIA)

  Dear AFST(I) members,

It has come to our notice that emails are circulating among the AFST(I) members from the President of AFST(I) against the Central Executive Committee members. It is to inform you the following matters- 

• There is no official AFST(I) mail ID in the name of afstipresident@gmail.com and it can be ignored. Only the communications from the official AFST(I) mail mentioned in the website www.afsti.org need to be attend to.
• In AFST(I), President has advisory role and Secretary has the executive role and the decisions taken by the CEC (Central Executive Committee) and thereby  minuted only are valid.
• So far no financial or administrative irregularities were identified by CEC against any of the office bearers. All the actions by the Secretary was based on CEC recommendations. Approval for AFSTI building renovation is also there in the Annual Report 2018-19 (page 5) available in the website and was presented at AGBM held at Tezpur.  
• False allegations by the President without understanding the rules & regulations, without verifying facts, and unilateral decisions through personal meetings have no CEC approval and no validity and highly deplorable.
• Number of complaints have received against the President on anti-AFST(I) activities to prevent the progress of the association and tarnish the image of the office bearers. As per the official procedure, anti-AFST(I) activity can result in the termination of the membership.

  Some of the complaints are

1. No constructive or creative thoughts, advice or action throughout his period.
2. Non participation in the meetings of the office bearers and CECs.
3. In spite of repeated mails and calls by most of the CEC members from all over India to provide advisory instructions for creative activities, he used to cancel the meetings and threaten the members. He has not even participated in the meeting to fix the AGBM date and annual event.
4. Circulation of allegations and defamation of Secretary, HQ CEC and entire CEC.
5. Circulating confidential documents to outside agencies without CEC's discussion and ratification.
6. Calling meetings and constituting committee on his own with no CEC ratification. Did not allowed the Headquarters CEC members to participate in the meeting called by him.
7. Endorsed the continuation of a non-member as the chapter President.
8. Conducting the meetings to move present HQ in Mysore; Writing to authorities for prevention of constructing/renovation of old AFST(I) building.
9. Writing to banks to freeze the account which can lead to stoppage of the activities.
10. The defamatory mail against the Office bearers, that too when the election notice is issued.

The elected CEC in its meeting held on 06-01-2021 unanimously expressed no confidence in the President and we are forced to release this joint statement to bring it to the notice of the esteemed members that vested interests are trying to tarnish the image of this supreme association and do not get carried away by the false propaganda.

   With best wishes for a happy new year.

   Regards,