Mumbai:
After trying some high-profile defence to save face in the Adarsh scam, three of Maharashtra's former Congress chief ministers, two of whom hold key portfolios at the Centre, are now playing the blame game.
Ashok Chavan who lost the chief minister's post after the Adarsh scam surfaced has been named in the FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as an accused. Vilasrao Deshmukh, currently holding the plum Rural Development portfolio at the Centre and Sushil Kumar Shinde as the Power Minister - both former chief ministers - also figure in the FIR.
All of them have filed their affidavits before the Adarsh Commission giving different versions of how the controversial high rise got the government's sanction.
In his affidavit submitted last week, Mr Deshmukh said that land allotment is the function of the revenue department, clearly hinting at his successor, Ashok Chavan, who held the Revenue portfolio in 2000 when Mr Deshmukh was the Chief Minister.
In response, Mr Chavan in his affidavit said that projects worth Rs 25 lakh and more needs the sanction of the Chief Minister.
Speaking to reporters in Pune, Mr Deshmukh said, "I have submitted my reply. Now the Commission of Inquiry has to decide. Let it take a call on who was right and who didn't do the right thing."
Dipan Merchant, Counsel for State of Maharashtra in the Adarsh Commission said, "In his affidavit, Ashok Chavan has said that he ceased to be Revenue Minister on January 16 and the letter of intent was issued on January 18, so he is not concerned with it in any way. He has also not mentioned anything regarding ownership of the land."
Mr Chavan's affidavit is also silent on whether the land was reserved for defence officers and Kargil war heroes, something that both the other former chief ministers have strongly rejected as baseless, denying any reservation for defence officers or kin.
In fact, Mr Deshmukh's affidavit adds that the reservation of the BEST plot was changed to residential for 'good reason', though there is no clarity on the reason for the change.
Responding to specific allegations made by an RTI activist of him signing the 'Letter of Intent' on the last day of his tenure as chief minister, Mr Deshmukh said it should not be assumed that he signed it on the same day. He indicated that he had signed it earlier, without indicating any specific date.
Even though Adarsh received the maximum number of clearances during his tenure as chief minister, including the dubious environmental clearance, Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, has put the blame on the collector saying the collector was appointed as the competent authority to verify eligibility. This, in spite of the fact that Shinde also held the Urban Development portfolio, which issued the crucial clearance.
Role of Former Chief Ministers:Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh
2003: Letter of Intent (LoI) issued
Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde
2003: Dubious Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance
Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde
2004: Land alloted to project
Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde
2004: Flat-owners increased by 51
Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh
2005: Building height increased
Ashok Chavan
2000: Recommended 40% civilians in Adarsh when he was Revenue Minister
Chief Minister Ashok Chavan
2010: Adarsh given occupation certificate
It's a curious tale of three former Chief Ministers who are silent on key decisions taken during their tenure but unanimous in blaming bureaucrats and collectors.