Marathwada package: Entire Cabinet should undergo lie detector test, says Congress

“The government is playing with the emotions of people by making hollow announcements,” Sawant said. The Congress said that in April, when the drought crisis was at its peak, the state cabinet had declared a farm loan restructuring package for 2012-13 and 2013-14. It had declared that about 4.5 lakh farmers would benefit from this restructuring, which was to the tune of Rs 2,438.98 crore. However, Sawant said, he had obtained papers under the RTI Act showing that the government did not have the mandatory nod from the Reserve Bank of India for the restructuring till June. “The RBI is yet to reply to the state’s request,” Sawant said.

The Congress claimed the announcement too was just an attempt to pacify the Marathas. Sawant alleged the government had inflated the package by including road works taken up under the Centre’s budget.