Congress gags leaders on housing society scam

The Congress virtually gagged its Maharashtra leaders on the issue of the housing society scam, in which Chief Minister Ashok Chavan is under scanner.

"The All India Congress Committee enquiry is being carried out by two very senior and unblemished leaders and anyone who wants to say anything in the matter should give their views to them," party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed told reporters.

Besides, he said, the leaders should not say anything that would put the party into trouble. His remarks came following statements by some detractors of Chavan, including Vilasrao Deshmukh, regarding the scam. Chavan spent the day in New Delhi meeting Congress

leaders.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Manikrao Thakre evaded all questions on the leadership issue and said any decision on this will be taken by the party high command. After Chavan offered to resign on Saturday during a meeting with Gandhi in connection with the alleged scam, Gandhi had appointed a two-member panel comprising Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister A K Anthony to look into the matter.

Questions are also being raised in the chief minister's camp as to how action can be taken against Chavan alone on the Adarsh society issue when other Congress leaders from Maharashtra were also allegedly involved.