NDA's Rafale deal 2.86% cheaper compared to UPA offer, says CAG report; lies of ‘Mahajhootbandhan’ exposed, tweets Jaitley
The Citizenship Bill and the Triple Talaq Bill will lapse if not passed in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, the last day of the Budget session.
The government on Wednesday tabled the CAG report on the Rafale fighter jet deal in the Parliament, according to which, NDA's Rafale deal is 2.86 per cent cheaper as compared to the offer given during the UPA regime. Meanwhile, Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday took a dig at the Opposition after the CAG report was tabled in the Rajya Sabha. Jaitley took to Twitter and said, "The lies of ‘Mahajhootbandhan’ stand exposed by the CAG Report."
The government's decision to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault has become a controversial political issue, with the main opposition party Congress levelling allegations of corruption and impropriety, and the ruling dispensation defending the move.
Here are the highlights
12:56 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die
12:25 pm: Finding issues with UPA era's deal for 126 Rafale aircraft, CAG says Defence Ministry team had said in 2015 that the proposal of Dassault Aviation Rafale should have been rejected in technical evaluation stage itself as it was non-compliant with RFP requirements, according to news agency ANI
12:20 pm: A Defence Ministry team in March 2015 recommended the scrapping of the 126 Rafale deal saying that Dassault Aviation was not the lowest bidder and EADS (European Aeronautic Defence & Space Company) was not fully compliant with the tender requirements, says CAG report
12:12 pm: A Defence Ministry team in March 2015 recommended the scrapping of the 126 Rafale deal saying that Dassault Aviation was not the lowest bidder and EADS (European Aeronautic Defence & Space Company) was not fully compliant with the tender requirements, says CAG report (ANI)
12:07 pm: Audit noted that it created difficulties during technical and price evaluation and affected integrity of competitive tendering; one of the main reasons for delay in acquisition process. Objectivity, equity and consistency of technical evaluation process wasn't evident in Technical Evaluation Report (ANI)
12:05 pm: Audit noted that the IAF did not define the ASQRs (Air Staff Qualitative Requirements) properly. As a result, none of the vendors could fully meet the ASQRs. ASQRs were changed repeatedly during the procurement process, news agency ANI reported
11:59 am: The lies of ‘Mahajhootbandhan’ stand exposed by the CAG Report, tweets Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as the government tables the CAG report on Rafale deal in Rajya Sabha
11:56 am: The delivery schedule of the first 18 Rafale aircraft is better than the one proposed in the 126 aircraft deal, by five months, says CAG report tabled in Rajya Sabha, news agency ANI reported
11:48 am: Rajya Sabha proceedings adjourned till noon following uproar by opposition parties over various issues
11:45 am: CAG report on RafaleDeal says compared to the 126 aircraft deal, India managed to save 17.08% money for the India Specific Enhancements in the 36 Rafale contract, news agency ANI reported
11:33 am: NDA's Rafale deal 2.86 per cent cheaper as compared to UPA, says CAG report
11:14 am: Government tables CAG report on Rafale in Rajya Sabha
10:50 am: TDP MPs protest against the Central government in the Parliament premises, demanding special status to Andhra Pradesh
10:40 am: Trinamool Congress MPs stage protest wearing black clothes against the Central government in the Parliament premises
10:20 am: I will be doing a press conference later in detail, says Congress President Rahul Gandhi on CAG report on Rafale deal to be presented before Parliament today
10:17 am: You can see that they (centre) are prejudiced who have already made a decision, so this report holds no value. Secondly, there is a conflict of interest. The man who was then a negotiator is now preparing the report: Mallikarjun Kharge on CAG report on Rafale deal to be presented before Parliament today
10:12 am: Today we will come to know what is in that report. But they have already told SC what their intention is, in a sealed envelope. On its basis, they said in SC that there's no scam in prices: Mallikarjun Kharge on CAG report on Rafale deal to be presented before Parliament today
Watch TV Coverage
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018 are also likely to be tabled in the Parliament during the day. The Citizenship Bill and the Triple Talaq Bill will lapse if not passed in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, the last day of the Budget session.
The Citizenship Bill, which was cleared by the Lok Sabha on January 8, will be moved by Home Minister Rajnath Singh in the Upper House. The Bill seeks to grant Indian Citizenship to persecuted minorities- including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians - who entered India from the three neighbouring countries before December 31, 2014 - Indian citizenship.
Meanwhile, the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill will be moved by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. The Triple talaq bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on December 27, 2018 with 245 votes in favour and 11 against the Bill.
Under the proposed legislation, giving instant triple talaq will be illegal and will attract three-year imprisonment for the husband.