The Evening Wrap: Sri Lanka President near airport as exile rumours spread

Sri Lanka’s embattled president was flown to an airbase near the main international airport Monday, officials said, raising speculation he will flee into exile abroad. Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the presidential palace in Colombo under naval protection on July 9, shortly before tens of thousands of protesters overran the compound. Hours later, the parliamentary speaker announced Rajapaksa would resign on July 13 to allow a “peaceful transition of power”. The 73-year-old leader had taken refuge at a navy facility, a top defence official told AFP, before being brought to the Katunayake airbase, which shares a perimeter fence with the country’s main Bandaranaike International airport. “He and his entourage were flown back to Colombo in two Bell 412 choppers,” he added. There was no official word from the president’s office about his whereabouts, but several local media reports speculated he was set to leave for Dubai later Monday. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office said Rajapaksa had officially informed him of his intention to resign, without specifying a date. Earlier in the day, 17.85 million rupees (about $50,000) in cash that Rajapaksa left behind at the presidential palace was handed over to a court after being turned in by protesters, police said. Official sources said a suitcase full of documents had also been left behind at the stately mansion. Rajapaksa took up residence at the two-century-old building after he was driven out of his private home on March 31 when protesters tried to storm it. If Rajapaksa steps down as promised, Wickremesinghe will automatically become acting president until parliament elects an MP to serve out his term that ends in November 2024. But Wickremesinghe has himself announced his willingness to step down if consensus is reached on forming a unity government. The succession process could take between three days -- the minimum time taken to convene parliament -- and a maximum of 30 days allowed under the statute. The main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party was huddled in talks with smaller political groups Monday to secure support for their leader Sajith Premadasa. An SJB official said they reached a tentative agreement with dissidents in Rajapaksa’s Sri Lanka People’s Front (SLPP) to support 55-year-old Premadasa, who lost the 2019 presidential election. Premadasa is the son of former president Ranasinghe Premadasa, who was assassinated in a Tamil rebel suicide bombing in May 1993. Former Rajapaksa loyalist, Dullas Alahapperuma, 63, an ex-media minister, was tipped to be the new prime minister, an SJB legislator involved in the talks told AFP. Five ministers resigned over the weekend and Wickremesinghe’s office said the cabinet had agreed on Monday to resign en masse once an agreement was reached on an “all-party government”. On Monday, huge queues formed to visit the palace -- in a line longer than some of the petrol queues snaking their way through the city. Protesters say they will not leave until Rajapaksa formally quits. The premier’s private home in Colombo was also set on fire on Saturday night. Demonstrators had been camping outside the president’s office for more than three months demanding he quit over the country’s unprecedented economic crisis. Rajapaksa is accused of mismanaging the economy to a point where the country has run out of foreign exchange to finance even the most essential imports, leading to severe hardships for the 22 million population. Wickremesinghe, an opposition legislator, was made premier in May to try to lead the country out of its economic crisis -- the sixth time he has been appointed to the post. Sri Lanka defaulted on its $51 billion foreign debt in April and is in talks with the IMF for a possible bailout. Palaniswami elected AIADMK interim general secretary; Panneerselvam expelled Vanagaram near Chennai, which played host five years ago to a unity meet of two camps of the AIADMK, on Monday witnessed the expulsion of O. Panneerselvam, three-time Chief Minister, till recently coordinator and treasurer, from the organisation, and the election of Palaniswami as interim general secretary. At the general council of the AIADMK in Vanagaram, a resolution was adopted, abolishing the posts of coordinator and co-coordinator, on the ground that the posts had “ceased to exist” as the election, which took place in December 2021, [re-appointing Panneerselvam and Palaniswami coordinator and co-coordinator respectively] was “not ratified” at the general council held on June 23. By another motion, the party approved the adoption of the system of “single leadership” and revived the post of general secretary, which was scrapped in September 2017. As Panneerselvam was also relieved of his position as treasurer, Palaniswami announced that former Minister and Dindigul (west) district secretary, Dindigul C. Sreenivasan, had been appointed for the post. Panneerselvam, who did not attend the meeting, claimed he remained the party coordinator and said he would legally face the challenge with the support of the cadres. The party also decided that the election for the post of general secretary would be held in four months. Till then Palaniswami would function as interim general secretary. It accepted several amendments to the bye-laws, most of which centred on Rule 20 and the post of general secretary. Palaniswami, who spoke last at the general council, accused Panneerselvam of “hobnobbing” with the DMK and seeking to “destroy” the AIADMK by collaborating with the ruling party. He criticised his former colleague for having attempted to stall the June 23 general council’s meeting after being one of the signatories of the notice for the meeting. Former Ministers P. Thangamani, Mr. Viswanathan, K. P. Munusamy, and Sreenivasan pulled up Panneerselvam for having let down the party. Slogans against Panneerselvam were raised during the meeting. Tamilmagan Hussain chaired the event. Deploring violence at the party headquarters earlier in the day, Palaniswami said many functionaries of the party had been injured in the incident. He held Panneerselvam responsible for “certain records” of the party having been taken away and the damage caused to properties of the party, including laptops. 1993 Mumbai blasts case: Centre ‘bound to advise’ President to remit life sentence of Abu Salem, says Supreme Court The Supreme Court on July 11 held that the Centre was “bound to advise” the President of India to remit the life sentence of gangster Abu Salem in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case on his completion of 25 years of his jail term in view of the national commitment made to Portugal during his extradition. The 25-year period would be calculated from his detention on October 12, 2005. “On the appellant [Salem] completing 25 years of his sentence, the Central government is bound to advise the President for the exercise of his powers under Article 72 of the Constitution and to release the appellant in terms of the national commitments and the principles based on the comity of courts,” Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, heading the Bench, ordered in the judgment. The papers should be forwarded to the President within a month of Salem completing the 25-year period. The Centre could itself consider remission on the completion of 25 years’ sentence in terms of Sections 432 and 433 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The court, however, declined to calculate the 25-year timeline from September 18, 2002 when Salem was detained in Portugal for a different offence. “The criminal law of the land does not have extra-territorial application,” it noted. The court also referred to the fact that Salem had a Red Corner Notice issued against him. It also refused to commute the life sentence awarded to Salem, saying the domestic courts of India were not bound by the treaties between the governments of Portugal and India. The Indian law followed the principle of separation of powers. Salem had argued that he should not have been punished with life sentence considering the sovereign assurance given by India to Portugal during his extradition. “Punishment cannot be disproportionately high or low. It should not be oppressive, but should serve the purpose of deterrence against crime in society along with serving justice to the victims and their families... Looking at the gravity of the offence, there is no question of this court exercising any special power to commute his sentence,” the court emphasised. The case had triggered concern in the Supreme Court about the “international ramifications” India may face if seen to renege on “solemn” promises made to foreign powers and their courts while securing an extradition. Salem’s case was built around his argument that his life sentence was illegal as the then Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister L.K. Advani had given a “solemn sovereign assurance” to a Portugal court that he would neither be sentenced to death nor serve more than 25 years in prison. However, the Central Bureau of Investigation, in a recent affidavit, had maintained that Advani’s assurance was no guarantee. National Herald case: ED asks Sonia Gandhi to appear before it on July 21 The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has asked Congress president Sonia Gandhi to depose before it on July 21 for questioning in the National Herald newspaper-linked money-laundering case, officials said on Monday. Gandhi, 75, was issued a second summon by the federal probe agency for June 23, but the Congress leader could not keep the date as she was “strictly advised to rest at home following her hospitalisation on account of COVID-19 and a lung infection”. Gandhi had sought postponing of the June 23 summons by four weeks and hence, she has been asked to depose before the agency on July 21, the officials said. The Congress president was first issued the notice for appearance on June 8, but after she tested positive for Covid, the summons for June 23 was issued. Her son and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has been questioned by the agency in connection with the case for over 50 hours in sessions spread across five days. The probe relates to alleged financial irregularities in the Congress-promoted Young Indian Private Limited, which owns the National Herald newspaper. The move to question the Gandhis was initiated after the ED late last year lodged a fresh case under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), following a trial court in New Delhi taking cognisance of an income-tax department probe against Young Indian on the basis of a private criminal complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in 2013. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are among the promoters and majority shareholders of Young Indian. Like her son, the Congress president too has 38% shareholding in the company. Swamy had accused the Gandhis and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds, with Young Indian paying only ₹50 lakh to obtain the right to recover ₹90.25 crore that Associated Journals Limited (AJL) owed to the Congress. In February last year, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Gandhis for their response on the BJP leader’s plea, seeking to lead evidence in the matter before the trial court. Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Pawan Bansal were questioned by the ED in connection with the case in April. The Congress has accused the Centre of targeting opposition leaders by misusing investigative agencies and attributed the entire action in the matter to “political vendetta”. Opposition slams PM Modi for unveiling national emblem atop new Parliament building Opposition parties on Monday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for unveiling the national emblem cast atop the new Parliament building, accusing him of “subverting” the principle constitutional separation of powers. “The Constitution separates powers of parliament, government & judiciary. As head of the government, the Prime Minister should not have unveiled the national emblem atop the new parliament building,” All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said. “The Speaker of Lok Sabha represents Lok Sabha which isn’t subordinate to the government. The prime minister has violated all constitutional norms,” said Owaisi, who is a Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad. In a statement, the Politbureau of the CPI(M) said the Prime Minister’s action was a “clear violation of the Indian Constitution”. It said the Constitution unambiguously separates the three wings of our democracy -- the Executive (government), the Legislature (Parliament and State Assemblies) and the Judiciary. “President summons the Parliament. Prime minister is the head of the Executive. The Legislature has its independent role to perform, amongst others, to legislate laws, keep the Executive accountable and answerable,” it said. “This Constitutional separation of powers between the three wings is being subverted by the head of the Executive,” the CPI(M) said. Hitting back at Owaisi, the BJP said he is always driven by a negative mindset and constantly attacks the country’s political, moral, social, cultural and constitutional values to run his party. “He does it habitually,” BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said replying to a question at a press conference. Citing a verse, Trivedi said that even the best of doctors have no cure to doubts. Trivedi also added that only those with the “official and statutory” positions were involved in the unveiling of the emblem. NCP leader Majeed Memon wondered why the government had kept away Opposition leaders from the ceremony to unveil the national emblem atop the new Parliament building. “Parliament House will not be occupied by the Prime Minister alone. It will also be occupied by the Opposition. Not inviting them is a major flaw in a democratic set up,” Memon, a former Rajya Sabha member, said. The CPI(M) also took objection to a religious ceremony organised at an event to unveil the cast of the national emblem atop the new Parliament building. “National emblem installation should not be linked to religious ceremonies. It is everyone’s emblem, not those who have some religious beliefs. Keep religion separate from national functions,” said CPI(M) in a tweet. Bhima Koregaon case: SC to take up Varavara Rao’s plea for permanent bail on Tuesday The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to take up as the first case on July 12 a plea for permanent bail on medical grounds by Telugu poet and an accused in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case P. Varavara Rao. A Bench led by Justice U.U. Lalit could not take up the case, which was listed as item number 30 on Monday, as the judges had to sit in a different combination at 2 p.m. “We will take it up tomorrow as the first item on the list,” Justice Lalit told senior advocate Anand Grover, who appeared for Rao. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the National Investigation Agency, said that the interim protection granted to Rao was operative till July 12. He said the agency would file more records by the end of the day. Grover, who urged the case to be taken up later in the day, agreed when the court informed him about the change in the Bench post-lunch. “The petitioner, an 83-year-old renowned Telugu poet and orator, who has undergone over two years of incarceration as an undertrial and is currently enlarged on bail on medical grounds by the Bombay High Court, respectfully submits that any further incarceration would ring the death knell for him as advancing age and deteriorating health are a fatal combination,” the petition said. Rao has challenged the High Court order as he was not granted an extension of bail despite his advanced age and precarious and deteriorating health condition. His plea to shift him to Hyderabad was also denied. He was arrested on August 28, 2018 from his Hyderabad residence and is an undertrial in the Bhima Koregaon case for which an FIR was lodged by the Pune Police at the Vishrambagh police station on January 8, 2018 under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Initially, Rao said he was put under house arrest pursuant to an order of the Supreme Court and ultimately, on November 17, 2018, he was taken into police custody and later, shifted to the Taloja jail. On February 22, 2021, the Bombay High Court granted him bail on medical grounds and he was released from jail on March 6, 2021. Giving extensive details of his health conditions, including his sufferings in jail, Rao said the High Court order of February 22, 2021 had contemplated that he could be on medical bail for an extended period and even permanently on medical grounds, depending on his health condition supported by medical examination reports. In Brief India is projected to surpass China as the world’s most populous country next year, according to a report by the United Nations on Monday which said that the world population is forecast to reach eight billion by mid-November 2022. The World Population Prospects 2022 by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, said that the global population is projected to reach eight billion on November 15, 2022. The global population is growing at its slowest rate since 1950, having fallen under 1% in 2020. The latest projections by the United Nations suggest that the world’s population could grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030 and 9.7 billion in 2050. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow [logo] The Evening Wrap 11 JULY 2022 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Sri Lanka President near airport as exile rumours spread [Sri Lanka’s embattled president was flown to an airbase near the main international airport Monday]( officials said, raising speculation he will flee into exile abroad. Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the presidential palace in Colombo under naval protection on July 9, shortly before tens of thousands of protesters overran the compound. Hours later, the parliamentary speaker announced Rajapaksa would resign on July 13 to allow a “peaceful transition of power”. The 73-year-old leader had taken refuge at a navy facility, a top defence official told AFP, before being brought to the Katunayake airbase, which shares a perimeter fence with the country’s main Bandaranaike International airport. “He and his entourage were flown back to Colombo in two Bell 412 choppers,” he added. There was no official word from the president’s office about his whereabouts, but several local media reports speculated he was set to leave for Dubai later Monday. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office said Rajapaksa had officially informed him of his intention to resign, without specifying a date. Earlier in the day, 17.85 million rupees (about $50,000) in cash that Rajapaksa left behind at the presidential palace was handed over to a court after being turned in by protesters, police said. Official sources said a suitcase full of documents had also been left behind at the stately mansion. Rajapaksa took up residence at the two-century-old building after he was driven out of his private home on March 31 when protesters tried to storm it. If Rajapaksa steps down as promised, Wickremesinghe will automatically become acting president until parliament elects an MP to serve out his term that ends in November 2024. But Wickremesinghe has himself announced his willingness to step down if consensus is reached on forming a unity government. The succession process could take between three days -- the minimum time taken to convene parliament -- and a maximum of 30 days allowed under the statute. The main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party was huddled in talks with smaller political groups Monday to secure support for their leader Sajith Premadasa. An SJB official said they reached a tentative agreement with dissidents in Rajapaksa’s Sri Lanka People’s Front (SLPP) to support 55-year-old Premadasa, who lost the 2019 presidential election. Premadasa is the son of former president Ranasinghe Premadasa, who was assassinated in a Tamil rebel suicide bombing in May 1993. Former Rajapaksa loyalist, Dullas Alahapperuma, 63, an ex-media minister, was tipped to be the new prime minister, an SJB legislator involved in the talks told AFP. Five ministers resigned over the weekend and Wickremesinghe’s office said the cabinet had agreed on Monday to resign en masse once an agreement was reached on an “all-party government”. On Monday, huge queues formed to visit the palace -- in a line longer than some of the petrol queues snaking their way through the city. Protesters say they will not leave until Rajapaksa formally quits. The premier’s private home in Colombo was also set on fire on Saturday night. Demonstrators had been camping outside the president’s office for more than three months demanding he quit over the country’s unprecedented economic crisis. Rajapaksa is accused of mismanaging the economy to a point where the country has run out of foreign exchange to finance even the most essential imports, leading to severe hardships for the 22 million population. Wickremesinghe, an opposition legislator, was made premier in May to try to lead the country out of its economic crisis -- the sixth time he has been appointed to the post. Sri Lanka defaulted on its $51 billion foreign debt in April and is in talks with the IMF for a possible bailout. Palaniswami elected AIADMK interim general secretary; Panneerselvam expelled [Vanagaram near Chennai, which played host five years ago to a unity meet of two camps of the AIADMK]( on Monday witnessed the expulsion of O. Panneerselvam, three-time Chief Minister, till recently coordinator and treasurer, from the organisation, and the election of Palaniswami as interim general secretary. [AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami being garlanded by his supporters after being elected as interim General Secretary of the party, during the general council meeting of AIADMK, in Chennai on July 11, 2022.] At the general council of the AIADMK in Vanagaram, a resolution was adopted, abolishing the posts of coordinator and co-coordinator, on the ground that the posts had “ceased to exist” as the election, which took place in December 2021, [re-appointing Panneerselvam and Palaniswami coordinator and co-coordinator respectively] was “not ratified” at the general council held on June 23. By another motion, the party approved the adoption of the system of “single leadership” and revived the post of general secretary, which was scrapped in September 2017. As Panneerselvam was also relieved of his position as treasurer, Palaniswami announced that former Minister and Dindigul (west) district secretary, Dindigul C. Sreenivasan, had been appointed for the post. [Panneerselvam, who did not attend the meeting]( claimed he remained the party coordinator and said he [would legally face the challenge with the support of the cadres](. The party also decided that the election for the post of general secretary would be held in four months. Till then Palaniswami would function as interim general secretary. It accepted several amendments to the bye-laws, most of which centred on Rule 20 and the post of general secretary. Palaniswami, who spoke last at the general council, accused Panneerselvam of “hobnobbing” with the DMK and seeking to “destroy” the AIADMK by collaborating with the ruling party. He criticised his former colleague for having attempted to stall the June 23 general council’s meeting after being one of the signatories of the notice for the meeting. Former Ministers P. Thangamani, Mr. Viswanathan, K. P. Munusamy, and Sreenivasan pulled up Panneerselvam for having let down the party. Slogans against Panneerselvam were raised during the meeting. Tamilmagan Hussain chaired the event. Deploring violence at the party headquarters earlier in the day, Palaniswami said many functionaries of the party had been injured in the incident. He held Panneerselvam responsible for “certain records” of the party having been taken away and the damage caused to properties of the party, including laptops. 1993 Mumbai blasts case: Centre ‘bound to advise’ President to remit life sentence of Abu Salem, says Supreme Court [The Supreme Court on July 11 held that the Centre was “bound to advise” the President of India]( to remit the life sentence of gangster Abu Salem in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case on his completion of 25 years of his jail term in view of the national commitment made to Portugal during his extradition. The 25-year period would be calculated from his detention on October 12, 2005. “On the appellant [Salem] completing 25 years of his sentence, the Central government is bound to advise the President for the exercise of his powers under Article 72 of the Constitution and to release the appellant in terms of the national commitments and the principles based on the comity of courts,” Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, heading the Bench, ordered in the judgment. The papers should be forwarded to the President within a month of Salem completing the 25-year period. The Centre could itself consider remission on the completion of 25 years’ sentence in terms of Sections 432 and 433 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The court, however, declined to calculate the 25-year timeline from September 18, 2002 when Salem was detained in Portugal for a different offence. “The criminal law of the land does not have extra-territorial application,” it noted. The court also referred to the fact that Salem had a Red Corner Notice issued against him. It also refused to commute the life sentence awarded to Salem, saying the domestic courts of India were not bound by the treaties between the governments of Portugal and India. The Indian law followed the principle of separation of powers. Salem had argued that he should not have been punished with life sentence considering the sovereign assurance given by India to Portugal during his extradition. “Punishment cannot be disproportionately high or low. It should not be oppressive, but should serve the purpose of deterrence against crime in society along with serving justice to the victims and their families... Looking at the gravity of the offence, there is no question of this court exercising any special power to commute his sentence,” the court emphasised. The case had triggered concern in the Supreme Court about the “international ramifications” India may face if seen to renege on “solemn” promises made to foreign powers and their courts while securing an extradition. Salem’s case was built around his argument that his life sentence was illegal as the then Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister L.K. Advani had given a “solemn sovereign assurance” to a Portugal court that he would neither be sentenced to death nor serve more than 25 years in prison. However, the Central Bureau of Investigation, in a recent affidavit, had maintained that Advani’s assurance was no guarantee. National Herald case: ED asks Sonia Gandhi to appear before it on July 21 [The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has asked Congress president Sonia Gandhi]( to depose before it on July 21 for questioning in the National Herald newspaper-linked money-laundering case, officials said on Monday. Gandhi, 75, was issued a second summon by the federal probe agency for June 23, but the Congress leader could not keep the date as she was “strictly advised to rest at home following her hospitalisation on account of COVID-19 and a lung infection”. Gandhi had sought postponing of the June 23 summons by four weeks and hence, she has been asked to depose before the agency on July 21, the officials said. The Congress president was first issued the notice for appearance on June 8, but after she tested positive for Covid, the summons for June 23 was issued. Her son and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has been questioned by the agency in connection with the case for over 50 hours in sessions spread across five days. The probe relates to alleged financial irregularities in the Congress-promoted Young Indian Private Limited, which owns the National Herald newspaper. The move to question the Gandhis was initiated after the ED late last year lodged a fresh case under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), following a trial court in New Delhi taking cognisance of an income-tax department probe against Young Indian on the basis of a private criminal complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in 2013. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are among the promoters and majority shareholders of Young Indian. Like her son, the Congress president too has 38% shareholding in the company. Swamy had accused the Gandhis and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds, with Young Indian paying only ₹50 lakh to obtain the right to recover ₹90.25 crore that Associated Journals Limited (AJL) owed to the Congress. In February last year, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Gandhis for their response on the BJP leader’s plea, seeking to lead evidence in the matter before the trial court. Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Pawan Bansal were questioned by the ED in connection with the case in April. The Congress has accused the Centre of targeting opposition leaders by misusing investigative agencies and attributed the entire action in the matter to “political vendetta”. Opposition slams PM Modi for unveiling national emblem atop new Parliament building [Opposition parties on Monday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for unveiling the national emblem]( cast atop the new Parliament building, accusing him of “subverting” the principle constitutional separation of powers. “The Constitution separates powers of parliament, government & judiciary. As head of the government, the Prime Minister should not have unveiled the national emblem atop the new parliament building,” All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said. [The National Emblem, which was unveiled by the PM Narendra Modi on top of the New Parliament House Building in New Delhi on July 11, 2022.] “The Speaker of Lok Sabha represents Lok Sabha which isn’t subordinate to the government. The prime minister has violated all constitutional norms,” said Owaisi, who is a Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad. In a statement, the Politbureau of the CPI(M) said the Prime Minister’s action was a “clear violation of the Indian Constitution”. It said the Constitution unambiguously separates the three wings of our democracy -- the Executive (government), the Legislature (Parliament and State Assemblies) and the Judiciary. “President summons the Parliament. Prime minister is the head of the Executive. The Legislature has its independent role to perform, amongst others, to legislate laws, keep the Executive accountable and answerable,” it said. “This Constitutional separation of powers between the three wings is being subverted by the head of the Executive,” the CPI(M) said. Hitting back at Owaisi, the BJP said he is always driven by a negative mindset and constantly attacks the country’s political, moral, social, cultural and constitutional values to run his party. “He does it habitually,” BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said replying to a question at a press conference. Citing a verse, Trivedi said that even the best of doctors have no cure to doubts. Trivedi also added that only those with the “official and statutory” positions were involved in the unveiling of the emblem. NCP leader Majeed Memon wondered why the government had kept away Opposition leaders from the ceremony to unveil the national emblem atop the new Parliament building. “Parliament House will not be occupied by the Prime Minister alone. It will also be occupied by the Opposition. Not inviting them is a major flaw in a democratic set up,” Memon, a former Rajya Sabha member, said. The CPI(M) also took objection to a religious ceremony organised at an event to unveil the cast of the national emblem atop the new Parliament building. “National emblem installation should not be linked to religious ceremonies. It is everyone’s emblem, not those who have some religious beliefs. Keep religion separate from national functions,” said CPI(M) in a tweet. Bhima Koregaon case: SC to take up Varavara Rao’s plea for permanent bail on Tuesday [The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to take up as the first case on July 12]( a plea for permanent bail on medical grounds by Telugu poet and an accused in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case P. Varavara Rao. A Bench led by Justice U.U. Lalit could not take up the case, which was listed as item number 30 on Monday, as the judges had to sit in a different combination at 2 p.m. “We will take it up tomorrow as the first item on the list,” Justice Lalit told senior advocate Anand Grover, who appeared for Rao. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the National Investigation Agency, said that the interim protection granted to Rao was operative till July 12. He said the agency would file more records by the end of the day. Grover, who urged the case to be taken up later in the day, agreed when the court informed him about the change in the Bench post-lunch. “The petitioner, an 83-year-old renowned Telugu poet and orator, who has undergone over two years of incarceration as an undertrial and is currently enlarged on bail on medical grounds by the Bombay High Court, respectfully submits that any further incarceration would ring the death knell for him as advancing age and deteriorating health are a fatal combination,” the petition said. Rao has challenged the High Court order as he was not granted an extension of bail despite his advanced age and precarious and deteriorating health condition. His plea to shift him to Hyderabad was also denied. He was arrested on August 28, 2018 from his Hyderabad residence and is an undertrial in the Bhima Koregaon case for which an FIR was lodged by the Pune Police at the Vishrambagh police station on January 8, 2018 under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Initially, Rao said he was put under house arrest pursuant to an order of the Supreme Court and ultimately, on November 17, 2018, he was taken into police custody and later, shifted to the Taloja jail. On February 22, 2021, the Bombay High Court granted him bail on medical grounds and he was released from jail on March 6, 2021. Giving extensive details of his health conditions, including his sufferings in jail, Rao said the High Court order of February 22, 2021 had contemplated that he could be on medical bail for an extended period and even permanently on medical grounds, depending on his health condition supported by medical examination reports. In Brief [India is projected to surpass China as the world’s most populous country next year]( according to a report by the United Nations on Monday which said that the world population is forecast to reach eight billion by mid-November 2022. The World Population Prospects 2022 by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, said that the global population is projected to reach eight billion on November 15, 2022. The global population is growing at its slowest rate since 1950, having fallen under 1% in 2020. The latest projections by the United Nations suggest that the world’s population could grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030 and 9.7 billion in 2050. 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