RAJYA SABHA LIVE UPDATES: Fireworks expected as CAG report on Rafale deal to be tabled on last day of Budget session; Triple Talaq bill and Citizenship (Amendment) bill to be moved

Exclusive visuals of the CAG report on Rafale deal that is likely to be tabled in the Parliament on Wednesday.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi responds to questions on CAG report to be tabled in Parliament, says "will address press briefing later today". 

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, UPA chief Sonia Gandhi, and former PM Dr Manmohan Singh joins TMC workers' protest against the BJP government outside Parliament on Wednesday.

Congress MPs protest outside the Parliament against the CAG report on Rafale likely to be tabled in Parliament today.

Republic TV accessed the full 141-page CAG report where Rafale deal is mentioned on the 126th page in the report. 

READ HERE: Republic Accesses CAG Rafale Report: NDA Deal 2.86% Cheaper Than UPA's Non-deal

It’s the last day of the Parliament so we prayed to Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi) that remove BJP and Modi babu and save the country. Keep everybody safe: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

Rajya Sabha passes Motion of Thanks on the President's Address without debate. Interim Budget 2019-20 and Appropriation Bill also passed without debate: ANI

Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die. 

Rajya Sabha on Wednesday is set to witness heavy fireworks with the BJP-led government to make a final push for the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and the Triple Talaq Bill on the last day of the budget session in the Upper house. Furthermore, the much-awaited CAG report on the Rafale defence deal is also likely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha.  

Triple Talaq Bill 

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will move The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill in the Upper House on Wednesday. The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on December 27 in 2018 with 245 votes in favour and 11 against the Bill.

While, the BJP government is pushing for passing the bill, the opposition parties want the Bill to be sent to the Select Committee of Parliament for further vetting. Earlier, Congress also vowed to scrap the Triple Talaq Bill if voted to power. 

However, an ordinance was re-promulgated in January this year as the revised Bill could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha where the government lacks majority. The Bill criminalises the practice of instant triple talaq with a provision of three years imprisonment to the erring husband.

READ: Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Slams Congress For Opposing Bill Banning Triple Talaq

CAG Report on Rafale deal

The government is scheduled to table the CAG report on Rafale jet fighter deal, which has generated a massive political controversy, in Parliament on Wednesday.

Former minister and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Sunday alleged conflict of interest and asked the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Rajiv Mehrishi to recuse himself from auditing the deal as he was the finance secretary when the deal was negotiated.

Union Minister Arun Jaitley, however, rebutted the claims of Sibal saying that the Congress was casting aspersions on the institution of CAG based on "falsehood".

READ: MASSIVE: Politically Critical CAG Report On Rafale Deal Likely To Be Tabled In Budget Session Of Parliament. Details Here

(With agency inputs)