A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Budget 2019 is just a ‘trailer’, tax rebate will strengthen the middle class, say BJP leaders: The Congress called the interim budget an election manifesto. Finance Minister Piyush Goyal announced a monthly pension for workers in the unorganised sector, a Rs 75,000 crore to benefit farmers, a tax rebate for individuals earning up to Rs 5 lakh a year. 
  2. Unemployment after demonetisation and GST even worse than headline numbers suggest, says report: The prime minister’s economic advisor said the Centre will put out a new survey to show increase in job. Arun Jaitley questioned the unemployment data, while economist Kaushik Basu raised concerns over unemployment in India.
  3. Second meeting of PM Modi-led panel to choose new CBI chief ends on an inconclusive note: Supreme Court issued a notice to Centre in CBI officer AK Bassi’s petition against his transfer order while advocate Prashant Bhushan claimed that the selection committee did not appoint Nageswara Rao interim chief of the agency.
  4. Activist Anand Teltumbde’s bail plea rejected by Pune court in Bhima Koreagaon case: The judge said the investigation was at a crucial stage and ‘the custodial interrogation of the accused is necessary’.
  5. Opposition leaders to meet poll panel on Monday to talk about EVMs, says Rahul Gandhi: He made the announcement after meeting Opposition leaders at the Constitution Club in New Delhi in the evening.
  6. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat claims Kerala government is oppressing Ayyappa devotees: Bhagwat, who was speaking at VHP’s Dharam Sansad, said the Supreme Court did not think that its decision would hurt the sentiments of Hindus.
  7. Trainer fighter jet crashes near HAL airport in Bengaluru, both pilots dead: The crash took place near Yamalur off old Airport Road, reports said.
  8. ‘Where is the justice?’ asks Vijay Mallya after his assets worth Rs 13,000 crore are seized: The fugitive businessman alleged that there were irregularities in the legal process against him.
  9. Five arrested for firing at, burning effigy of Mahatma Gandhi in Aligarh: Aligarh Senior Superintendent of Police Akash Kulhary said a police post in-charge has been suspended.
  10. IAF’s efforts to support HAL have affected our fighting capabilities, says Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa: The air force chief also denied reports that the IAF had changed parameters for the Tejas aircraft, thereby leading to a delay in development.