Live news update: CAG has allowed itself to become a joke says P Chidambaram

Former finance minister P Chidambaram on Thursday slammed the CAG report on the Rafale deal as "useless", saying the institution has allowed itself to become a "joke".

The report contains no useful information or conclusion and its motive is to hide the truth, the senior Congress leader told reporters.

He reiterated his party's demand for a joint parliamentary committee probe into the deal, saying only it can call for all relevant records.

The CAG is not God, he said, apparently rejecting the ruling BJP's contention that the national auditor's report should be the final word on the contentious issue.

"The CAG allowed itself to become a joke and an honourable government in future will restore the prestige and credibility of the institution," Chidambaram said "If you thought those 33 pages will bring to light the hidden aspects of the deal and explain matters relating to numbers, pricing, delivery etcetera and comment on correctness and propriety of transaction, you will be disappointed," he said.

Punjab Assembly on Thursday authorised Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to take up the issue of SGPC elections with the Centre after Dakha lawmaker H S Phoolka raised it, amid noisy reaction from the SAD-BJP which sought to know whether the Supreme Court lawyer was still an MLA.

During the Zero Hour on the third day of the Punjab Assembly Budget Session, Phoolka, who had resigned as MLA last year, raised the issue of delay in elections of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex religious body of the Sikhs.

Drawing attention of the chief minister in the House, Phoolka sought that the House should pass a resolution requesting the Central government to appoint chief commissioner of the gurdwara elections for holding the SGPC polls at the earliest.

“Congress has been planning a historic step for about three to four months now, we have decided to bring guaranteed income concept in India”, said party national chief Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi said, “If Congress comes to power, we will replace ‘Gabbar Singh Tax’ with real GST. BJP government has exploited the small businessmen of Gujarat and all over the country through 'Gabbar Singh' tax.”

Rahul Gandhi said, “The Narendra Modi government is not bringing land acquisition bill drafted by the Congress, which took care of concerns of farmers and tribals. Their Bharatmala project is actually Bharat mara, it’s killing Bharat.”

Rahul Gandhi mocks the BJP-led government's projects in Gujarat, saying the farmers and tribals have been neglected in the state. He said the Congress govt brought Adivasi bill. "But in Gujarat, they tell you it is Bharatmala project and will not compensate you," he said.

Starting his speech at Valsad, the Congress chief targets the Modi government over Rafale, while referring to the prime minister as 'Chowkidar'. Continuing his tirade against the Central government, Rahul Gandhi says even the former French president says that PM is 'chor' (thief).

Sheila Dikshit responds to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's remarks on SC order. She said, “Constitution has defined the power Delhi has, it’s not unlimited. Centre, Lt Governor and Home Ministry handle a lot of things. So fighting is no solution, make changes if needed. Power doesn't depend on the number of seats you have.”

Some of the non-BJP parties have decided to approach the Supreme Court against the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said on Thursday.

In his daily teleconference with Telugu Desam Party leaders, Naidu said a decision in this regard was taken during the meeting of 15 non-BJP parties at Sharad Pawar's residence in New Delhi last night.

A TDP release on the teleconference, however, did not give any further details on the issue.

Six flights have been diverted from the Delhi airport due to bad weather between 9.30 am and 12 noon on Thursday, airport officials said.

"Four flights have been diverted to Jaipur. Two flights have been diverted to Lucknow due to heavy rains," an official said.

The flights that were diverted to Jaipur were of Air Astana, Jet Airways, Indigo and GoAir, they said.

"One flight of Vistara and one flight of IndiGo were diverted to Lucknow," the official added.

Two of the main promoters of the Sterling Biotech Ltd (SBL), Nitin Jayantilal Sandesara and Chetankumar Jayantilal Sandesara, along with Dipti Chetan Sandesara on Thursday moved a Delhi court seeking cancellation of Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs) issued against them in the ₹8,100 crore bank fraud case.

The Sandesaras moved an application through their counsel before Additional Sessions Judge Satish Kumar Arora, who directed them to furnish their address to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) within 15 days and listed the matter for April 2.

Besides cancellation of NBW issued against them, the Sandesaras have also sought permission to appear in court through their counsel.

Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday said it was unfortunate that there was no clarity in the Supreme Court judgement that delivered a split verdict on who controls services in the National Capital Territory.

People of Delhi will continue to suffer, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj told reporters after the Supreme Court referred the issue of clarity on division of powers between the Delhi government and the Centre to a larger bench.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his ministerial colleagues continued their dharna outside the Raj Nivas for the second day on Thursday protesting Lt Governor Kiran Bedi's "negative stand" towards his government' proposals awaiting her approval.

Not Youth Congress, not Congress president, not any other unit of the Congress party, but Seva Dal is the backbone of Congress, it’s like the first line of defence of the party, said Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Ajmer.

Our government waived off farm loans as soon as we came to power in the three states, but the government at the Centre does not work for the poor and the farmers but for a select few friends. They introduced the Gabbar Singh Tax and made the common suffer by making them stand in queues outside the ATM's: Rahul Gandhi in Ajmer

We are being asked that 'what did Congress do in the past 60 years' by people who did even cut their finger during the fight for Independence. We have preserved the secular, democratic fibre of the nation: Ashok Gehlot in Ajmer

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi launched Seva Dal portal. sevadal.org. in Rajasthan’s Ajmer on Thursday.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi says, “The BJP and the RSS spread hate. They wake up in the morning and pick up their lathis. We don’t do this.”

“The constitution is being challenged and there is an atmosphere of hatred being spread. We reiterate that there is an ideological battle with PM Modi-led Centre government. Seva Dal has been with us before too, now we need you more than ever,” said Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has arrived at the venue to address a gathering at the National Convention of Sewa Dal. He is accompanied by Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and state Congress chief Sachin Pilot. He will address the rally shortly.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launches his 2019 election campaign from the same tribal Lal Dungri village in Gujarat's Dharampur where his grandmother Indira Gandhi in 1980, his father Rajiv Gandhi in 1984 and his mother Sonia Gandhi in 2004 started and romped home to power.

The party believes Lal Dungri (translated as Red Onion) brings good omen for it to rule the country. Many remote villages in this South Gujarat region recognise only the Congress' hand symbol and remember only former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The BSE Sensex fell over 100 points in early trade on Thursday on heavy foreign fund outflows amid rising global crude prices and a subdued trend at other Asian bourses.

The 30-share barometer, which had lost 840 points in the previous five sessions, was trading 120.01 points, or 0.33 per cent, lower at 35,914.10.

On similar lines, the NSE Nifty was down 40.95 points, or 0.38 per cent, at 10,752.70 points.

The rupee depreciated 14 paise to 70.94 against the US dollar in opening trade at the interbank forex market on Thursday on increased demand for the greenback from importers and banks amid rising global crude prices.

A strong dollar in overseas markets and a lower opening of the domestic equity market weighed on the rupee, a currency dealer said.

Brent crude, the international benchmark was trading higher by 0.46 per cent at USD 63.90 per barrel Thursday.

A fire broke out at a commercial building in west Delhi's Naraina on Thursday, Delhi Fire Service said.

A call was received at 7.10 AM. 29 fire tenders present at the spot where fire broke out at a paper card factory in Naraina Industrial Area Phase 1 earlier today

No causality was reported. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, he said.

The incident occurred days after a massive fire at a hotel in Karol Bagh claimed 17 lives.