Rahul Gandhi disapproves Maharashtra government rejection of Adarsh report

Rahul Gandhi, who has of late been talking about corruption, today disapproved the decision of the Congress government in Maharashtra to reject a judicial commission's report on Adarsh scam and said it should be reconsidered.

"Personally, I don't agree with that decision. They (Maharashtra) should reconsider that," the Congress Vice President said here at a press conference where Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan was present.

He was responding to a question on rejection by the Maharashtra government of the judicial commission's report on Adarsh scam in which three former Congress Chief Ministers faced allegations of irregularities. "There is no question of protecting anybody...They should reconsider," Gandhi said at the press conference at the AICC headquarters.

Soon after the press conference, Chavan was pressed by reporters for his reaction. He replied by saying that he will consult his colleagues on the issue.

The Maharashtra government last week rejected the report of the judicial commission of inquiry on the Adarsh scam which was tabled in the Legislative Assembly.

The report of the two-member commission headed by retired High Court judge J A Patil indicted several politicians including three former Chief Ministers for "blatant violations" of statutory provisions.

The report came down heavily on those in authority describing the scam as a "bad precedent" which reflected "greed, nepotism and favouritism" by those associated with it. Gandhi's assertion came while he was talking about the Congress' determination to fight corruption.

He chaired a meeting of Congress Chief Ministers and said a decision had been taken that all the states ruled by the party will enact Lokayuktas modelled on the Lokpal Act by February 28 next year.