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Government auditor CAG has pulled up food regulator FSSAI for issuing licences to food business operators without complete documents.

In its report tabled in Parliament, the CAG questioned the FSSAI on the quality of testing with 65 out of 72 state labs not being NABL accredited.

The report said the FSSAI also failed to ensure that unsafe foods are not imported to the country.

The CAG said its audit found systemic inefficiencies, delays and deficiencies in the framing of various regulations and standards, amendments to regulations in violation of the Act and the specific direction of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court has directed the Home Ministry to convene a meeting of directors general or inspectors general of prisons of all states and union territories to discuss the feasibility of establishing open jails across the country. Semi-open prison or open prison allows convicts to work outside the premises of the jail and earn a livelihood and return in the evening. The court yesterday asked the Ministry to send a communication to all states for their response on whether they were willing to set up open jails and how they would manage them. The court said, the states would give their response within four weeks after which a meeting be held in the first week of February to discuss the issue.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that the results of Gujarat elections will be shocking for the BJP. Rahul said that I did not respond to the personal attacks of Prime Minister Modi because I want to change the culture of personal attacks in political speeches.

Prime Minister Modi had targeted Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his speeches.

Rahul told CNN News18, "Gujarat will produce amazing results this time. It will be shocking for the BJP. they are afraid. BJP workers who talk to our leaders, are saying that the Congress has effectively campaigned and their campaign is not as effective. Even they believe that they are not able to save their records. "

They sidelined the question that if the Congress performs poorly then it will be considered a referendum on it.

Rahul has become the president of the Congress party and he has been a star campaigner in BJP ruled state.

Rahul asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologize for attacking former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Prime Minister Modi had accused Manmohan Singh of having a secret meeting with Pakistani diplomats to defeat the BJP in Gujarat.

Rahul said, "It is wrong. If Modi is the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh Ji was also the Prime Minister. He dedicated his life to the country. this is unacceptable. Clearly, Modi should apologize. Whatever he said is wrong. "

Rahul said that he was not involved in personal attacks on his political opponents, although the Prime Minister and the BJP kept doing so everyday.

He said, "BJP and Modi have been attacking me aggressively. But I did not answer it because I did not pay attention to it. "

He said that the language used by Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar is unacceptable to the prime minister and Congress.

The immediate action was taken against the former MP on suspension.

In another interview given to Gujarat Samachar TV, Rahul Gandhi said that Modi's criticism has helped him to emerge the most, and there is neither any anger nor hatred within him.

Rahul Gandhi said, "Modiji has helped me the most ... how can I hate him?"

On Modi's repeated remarks on the Nehru-Gandhi family, Rahul Gandhi said, "How can I hate them? If you look at the history and religion of the country, you will find that the answer to hate should be answered with love. There is no hatred or resentment in me. "

He said, "It is in the nature of our family. Perhaps Mahatma Gandhi taught this to our family. ...

Attacking Modi, Rahul said, "He has lost his credibility. He will be able to regain it, it seems difficult. "

Rahul said, "The youth had expressed confidence in Modiji. But they broke the faith. He promised to give 20 million jobs every year. But they do not talk about him anymore. He does not even speak a word about corruption. "

Rahul said, "You must have seen that after coming to the news of BJP chief Amit Shah's son Jai Shah and Rafael deal from France, he did not speak a word."

BJP attacked Rahul's one more TV interviews. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters, "There is no permission to give interviews in the last 48 hours of the Gujarat campaign. I am confident that the Election Commission will take cognizance and take action. "

Congress accused the BJP of using the Election Commission as a political tool.

Air quality in Delhi has once again deteriorated and reached very poor category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, Particulate Matter 10 pollutants level was found at 337 micro-grams per cubic meter while Particulate matter 2.5 level at 257 micro-grams this morning. Pollution is considered severe plus or emergency when readings of PM2.5 cross 300 micro-gram and PM10 500 micro-gram.

Talking to All India Radio, the Additional Director General of Central Pollution Control Board Dr. D Saha said, the spurt in pollutants has been caused by a combination of meteorological factors.

Meanwhile, The National Green Tribunal has come down heavily on the Delhi government for not filing a comprehensive action plan on ways to deal with severe air pollution in the city and slammed authorities for holding the India-Sri Lanka cricket match despite bad air quality.

A special court in Delhi has said that the verdict in the 2G spectrum allocation scam will be pronounced on the 21st of this month.

In this case former Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and some other accused.

The court is hearing two separate cases related to the scandal. One case is being investigated by CBI and the ED is investigating the other case.

In India, the Enforcement Directorate has confiscated the property of Nationalist Congress Party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Chhagan Bhujbal and others in the money laundering case of more than 200 million.

So far, a total of 178 crore rupees have been seized.

The Enforcement Directorate had arrested Bhujbal in March last year under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in the money laundering case relating to the new Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi.

The Supreme Court of India has given a big order regarding citizenship claims in Assam. The Supreme Court has said that the certificate issued by the Gram Panchayat Secretary is proof of citizenship.

In India, the Supreme Court has said about Assam citizenship claims that certificates issued by the Panchayat Secretary and Executive Magistrate can be used provided they have been issued after proper scrutiny.

A bench of the Supreme Court Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice RF Nariman dismissed the order of the High Court of Guwahati wherein it had said that these certificates were invalid for claiming citizenship.

The bench of the Supreme Court also said that the certificate issued by the Gram Panchayat Secretary is proof of citizenship provided they have a description of generations of their family.

The Supreme Court was hearing the petitions challenging the order of the High Court of Guwahati.

India will resume their overnight score of 371 for 4 in the third and final Cricket Test against Sri Lanka in New Delhi today.

Skipper Virat Kohli was on 156 and Rohit Sharma on 6 at the crease when stumps were drawn yesterday.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, Kohli and opener Murali Vijay made a mockery of sub-par rival attack with effortless centuries.

Kohli who is on a record-breaking spree, smashed his 20th hundred in the company of Vijay. Kohli also became the first international captain to score a hat-trick of hundreds in a three-Test series.

Vijay was out for 155, stumped off a Lakshan Sandakan delivery giving the visitors something to cheer about towards the end of the day.

In Nigeria, suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers have killed at least 13 people and injured 53 in an attack on a market in the northeast town of Biu in Borno state.

In addition to 13 people, two bombers were killed. Officials said, the blasts struck while aid workers were distributing food to people affected by the eight-year conflict with Boko Haram. Yesterday’s attack bore the hallmarks of Boko Haram, which uses suicide bombers, often women and girls, to attack crowded public spaces.

The former President of Yemen Ali Abdullah Saleh has suggested that he is open to talks with the Saudi-led coalition which his forces have been fighting for years.

He said that he would be ready to turn the page if the coalition lifted a blockade on northern Yemen and halted its attacks.

The offer came as clashes worsened between Mr Saleh’s forces and their former allies, the Houthis.