Even if the Adarsh society case does not end in convictions, enough ignominy has been heaped on former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan who was charge sheeted in the scam along with 12 others. Mr. Chavan has been accused of criminal conspiracy and abusing his official position when he was Revenue Minister over a decade ago to include civilians in the society and grant other favours. In turn, his mother-in law and other relatives got flats. There is a feeling in some sections that Mr. Chavan has been unfairly targeted and two other former Chief Ministers, Vilasrao Deshmukh and Sushilkumar Shinde, were also responsible. The CBI investigation is still open in the case of these two. While Mumbai is full of such frauds involving valuable land, what sets Adarsh apart is the nexus that was unravelled between politicians, bureaucrats and promoters — most of whom managed to cadge flats for their family members in a building which was blatantly illegal. The CBI is yet to officially reveal the details of the benami flats but there is evidence that this could involve more politicians or people close to them.
In comparison with Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, whose career graph shoots up every time the courts pass strictures against him, Mr. Chavan seems to lack a guardian angel. His cup of woes is full as he is also at the centre of a paid news controversy and his election has been contested on those grounds. If the CBI can prove the charges it has framed in the Adarsh case, it will definitely set a precedent. It is essential that the politicians and officers responsible for violating the laws of the land, abusing their office, and flouting the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) notification are given exemplary punishment. Real estate and housing equals power in Mumbai and few get caught for the numerous illegal transactions that take place. There is no need to be dismissive about the relatively small size of the scam in rupee terms when compared to other, more massive frauds. What is untenable too is the constant carping that Mr. Chavan is less culpable than the others and that he only grabbed “a few flats.” Instead of blaming the media for targeting bureaucrats and politicians, the State government should launch a comprehensive investigation into fraudulent housing societies, not to speak of the sharp practices that go on throughout Mumbai in the name of slum redevelopment.
Keywords: Adarsh society case, Adarsh housing scam, Adarsh scam, real estate scam, Maharashtra land scams
"AADARSH SOCIETY" which was a project for poor people, but Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan who was charge sheeted in the scam, did not allot a single flat to them. He should be penalized for his callous attitude toward the poor people. our politicians have forget that they are elected by indian people to work as their an assistant not as ruler. they never focused towards the poor people who even can not afford one time meal in a day. So being a youth of this country we should come ahead for agitation against such type of scams.
Will any of this outrage in "public" translate into any action by the
voting public? Or is this "moral outrage" just an intellectual pastime
of the new Indian, educated, affluent, middle-class?
India claims to be a democracy (the biggest lie peddled in India?).
So, "the buck stops with the voters" - not with anyone else!!!
Will anyone hold up a mirror to themselves, think afresh in their
daily lives, do anything differently, educate fellow citizens who may
not know what's really going on in the country "in their name, but
without informed-consent"???
Scams,lies,denials,bribes(and the list goes unending)have become a routine diet for us in the media-both visual and print.We hear about inquries and investigations after them.However, nothing comes out of such probes.What takes place is the expenditure of a few lakhs from the coffers(tax payers take note!)towards the conduct of the vain exercises.Of late,a new trend has evolved.When the media corner the governors the latter go furious and grumble that media misreport, miaquote or twist the truth.Whether at the Centre or in the States, the ministers have become vociferous in denying the issues brought to their notice.The Union Food Minister definitively denies rice is rotting in the FCI godowns.But what the channels ad nauseum show is a differnet spectacle.We witness in the godowns rice bags infested with insects and worms.The other day the rice bag supplied to a school in Kerala has contained a dead rat and a beedi butt.We want a fumigation of the bureucratic-political-promotor space.
this is height of corruption, beside knowing all this thing party head keep silence and keep promoting them, because they paying good party donation, recently there is issue land allotment in film city, in return son get promoted into film industry it clear deal.
worse part is they now snatching defence land by corrupting defence person. if thing go on soon administration will go dihonoured.
and people loose faith into system and only unemployed people seek defence career.
These politicians own multiple expensive flats in Mumbai. For e.g.
Sushil Kumar Shinde owns a flat on (Vaastu Bldg) Pali Hill Bandra Mumbai
worth about 30-40 Crore purchased within last 3-4 years. Somebody please
investigate. Another minister Kripashankar (Santacruz Mumbai) was
recently accused of owning multiple benami flats. Where do they get this
kind of money come from?
What you have pointed out in this editorial is the unholy nexus between politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen in the adarsh controversy. But what you have not pointed out is the role of the senior military officials including former army chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor who got a flat for himself in abetting the scam & the need to apprehend them.
All over India, there is a flood of "not so Adarsh" cases involving top politicians and bureaucrats! What we need to see is closure of cases in court and due punishments being meted out to the guilty. This should trigger both fear and a new set of accountability standards. Today, the guilty continue to cock a snook at one and all till the courts deliver judgement. This should change. Political parties, must take cognisance of the seriousness of the charges brought against their leaders and should make them resign. Reinstatement can always happen if the judgement goes in their favour. Not the other way round.
It is unfortunate that hard earned money of tax payers are wasted in such investigations and preparing reports which cannot establish criminal guilt of seasoned politicians in our country. Unless country makes CBI independent and totally free from the reins of Government/Ministers, none of the political leaders from any political party can be punished. It is worth researching how many political leaders occupying ministerial positions right from 1947 till now are punished and how much money country has wasted for these investigations?
Despite all the brou-haha following the unearthing of the Adarsh
Scam and filing of the chargesheet,it is a given that the Ex-CMs and all the other dignitaries detained by the CBI will all go scot free because hectic behind the scenes activity is taking place to ensure that all approvals and special permissions etc.are in place so that these can be placed before the courts to prove nothing untoward or fraudulent has taken place and that every precaution has been taken from time to time.
The chargesheet against Chavan is welcome news. As you have pointed out, unlike Visalrao Deshmukh Chavan does not apparently have a guardian angel to protect him. Unless corrupt politicians (including guardian angels) and officials are arrested, convicted and made to serve jail time for long periods, the menace of rampant corruption in India cannot be tackled.
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