BJP-Sena workers 'looting' fodder camp grants, claims Chavan

The Congress Friday accused BJP- Shiv Sena workers of "looting" grant meant for fodder camps by showing inflated number of cattle.

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan alleged that the workers of the ruling parties from the parched Marathwada region secured grant by operating fodder camps on behalf of their NGOs.

He demanded that fodder camps be audited to bring out the truth.

"The drought situation has turned grim in the state. At such a juncture, the workers have looted grants worth crores by showing bogus number of cattle at their fodder camps. Action must be taken against the scamsters concerned," Chavan said in a statement.

To drive home his point, the former Maharashtra chief minister said the district collector of Beed, in Marathwada, found during his inspection that the number of cattle kept in the camps were lesser when compared to the grants given.

Chavan said random inspection by Beed district collector showed cattle figures were inflated by 16,000 and grant to the tune of Rs 7-14 lakh per day was siphoned off by BJP-Sena workers.

"Audits of fodders camps should be carried out in all districts, besides Beed. This will show that the scam is actually bigger (than what has been found in Beed)," Chavan claimed.