Adarsh rethink: Maha CM may set up task force for new action taken report

When the Maharashtra Cabinet meets later today to discuss afresh the report of the judicial commission on the Adarsh scam, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan is likely to propose that a committee of Cabinet members or a task force headed by Chief Secretary J K Banthia to draft a new action taken report. “We expect a task force or a committee of senior cabinet members will be set up to examine the issue and submit a report in a week,” a senior minister was quoted as saying in this Times of India report. [caption id=“attachment_1206945” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Prithviraj Chavan. AFP[/caption] While there is agreement among ministers on disciplinary action to be initiated against bureaucrats accused of quid pro quo in misusing their power to grant permissions to the building despite irregularities, there is no consensus on how to act against the ministers named in the inquiry commission’s report. Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, the late Vilasrao Deshmukh, Maharashtra COngress strongman Ashok Chavan and Marathwada leader Shivajirao Nilangekar – all former Congress chief ministers of the state – as well as two NCP ministers Rajesh Tope and Sunil Tatkare are named in the report. Ashok Chavan is already facing a CBI chargesheet in the case. No specific action has been recommended by the commission against the other ministers. The need to reconsider the government’s rejection of the commission’s report arose after Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s direction on December 27 to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to do so. The Maharashtra government had on December 20 rejected the report of the judicial commission after tabling it in the Legislative Assembly after a long delay. Meanwhile, Shinde reportedly held discussions with his close associates on the fallout of the reconsideration of the decision. He was in Pune on Tuesday where he met supporters. According to a Times of India report, with the other former CMs now sidelined – Nilangekar plays only a very local role, Vilasrao is no more and Ashok Chavan’s rehabilitation is still anybody’s guess – opponents are likely to target the union home minister. “Shinde is the only prominent name left in this case and he also holds a key position in the Centre,” said one of his close confidantes, according to the report. “He added that the minister was “disturbed” with the developments and wanted to share his concern with his close friends and aides,” said the report.