Adarsh demolition: Cong steers clear

NEW DELHI: Congress today steered clear of the Environment ministry's directive to demolish the scam-hit Adarsh Housing Society in Mumbai saying it is a matter between the central and the state governments.

"There is no question of welcoming or not welcoming it. All legal, technical and proceedural issues concerning the issue are between the Environment Ministry and the state governments," a senior party leader said on the condition anonymity.

Sources in the party, however, said Jairam's directive was "legally sustainable".

"He was looking into the issue of Coastal Regulatory Zone and his order is legally sustainable from that point of view. He was seized of the CRZ matter. He could have either softpedalled on the issue or come to a conclusion. He chose the latter," a party leader said commenting on the Environment Minister's directive.

The leader said it however needed to be looked into how the directive could be factored into taking a decision as invesitgations by CBI as well as state government are already on into the issue.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi had yesterday claimed moral high ground over the Environment Ministry's directive and said the party had always "acted" consistently whenever faced with credible allegations.

"This is legal proceedings where the government has acted on the basis of material available to it. Further action will be necessarily subject to law.