The Evening Wrap: Wickremesinghe appointed Sri Lanka’s acting President as turbulence persists

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the island and took refuge in the Maldives early on Wednesday, ahead of his promised resignation, appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as acting President, the island’s Parliamentary Speaker said. The announcement came even as enraged protesters overran the Premier’s office in Colombo, amid persisting agitations against the leader, now as unpopular as the President who appointed him two months ago amid political turbulence in the wake of a daunting economic crisis. “We must end this fascist threat to democracy. We can’t allow the destruction of state property. The President’s office, the president’s secretariat and the Prime Minister’s official residence must be returned to proper custody. I have ordered military commanders and the police chief to do is what is necessary to restore order,” Mr. Wickremesinghe said in a televised address, his first to the nation after being appointed acting President. Anti-government protesters broke into the main state television station and briefly took over broadcasts on Wednesday, video footage on private and social media showed. They also gathered outside the Air Force headquarters, after the Sri Lanka Air Force said that the President, First Lady and two bodyguards boarded an Air Force flight to the Maldives early on Wednesday, in a statement confirming its services to Mr. Gotabaya, who holds the positions of Minister of Defence and Commander-in-Chief, until his resignation. Meanwhile, political party leaders who met the Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena Wednesday evening, requested him to ask the President and PM to resign immediately, or, asked the President to sack the PM before he resigns. Although both Sri Lanka’s President and PM offered to resign following dramatic mass protests on Saturday — demonstrators stormed the President’s office and home, while arsonists torched the PM’s private residence — neither has stepped down, prolonging the political impasse, and fuelling anti-government protests. Sri Lanka’s Constitution clearly lays out next steps in the event of the President’s and PM’s offices falling vacant, but the process cannot begin until the leaders resign. Apparently resorting to an executive decision even before the Speaker officially appointed him acting president, Mr. Wickremesinghe’s office announced he had declared an island-wide Emergency and a curfew in the Western Province, “using his powers as acting President”. The development came as thousands of angry protesters thronged the PM’s office and several other locations in capital Colombo Wednesday morning, hours after Mr. Gotabaya fled the country. Police used tear gas and water cannons against the demonstrators, injuring dozens. When The Hindu asked the Prime Minister’s office how Mr. Wickremesinghe could invoke “powers of an acting President” when Mr. Gotabaya was still in office and was yet to appoint Mr. Wickremesinghe acting president, PM’s spokesman Dinouk Colombage said: “The legal explanation will follow. We want to get the situation under control first.” However, within half an hour, the PMO backtracked and said an Emergency “is to be” declared, “when the Prime Minister is made acting President”, signalling that the Premier’s office may have jumped the gun while invoking stringent regulations that Sri Lankans associate with arbitrary arrests and use of brute force by law enforcement authorities. While speculation over Mr. Gotabaya’s whereabouts continue, a top official in the Maldives, who asked not to be named, citing “sensitivity” of the embattled leader’s arrival, told The Hindu that Mr. Gotabaya would “only transit” the country. Media reports said Maldives Parliamentary Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed received Mr. Gotabaya at the airport, but there was no official word from Male on the development. Asked where the Sri Lankan leader was headed next, the source declined comment. Mr. Gotabaya’s final destination remains unclear, but reports indicated he was headed to Singapore. Supreme Court says it cannot pass ‘omnibus’ orders to stop demolitions by municipal authorities The Supreme Court wondered whether it can pass "omnibus" orders to stop demolitions by municipal authorities across the country even as senior advocate Dushyant Dave insisted that the nation should refuse to accept the bulldozer "culture". Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for Uttar Pradesh, objected to Mr. Dave's submission that the demolitions targeted a certain community. "All communities are Indian communities... We cannot have community-based PILs in the Supreme Court," Mr. Mehta said. Mr. Dave countered by asking why then had the authorities not taken the bulldozers to unauthorised constructions and farm houses located in some of the poshest colonies of the Capital. "Entire Sainik Farms is illegal... Are we not all governed by the rule of law," he asked. "Nobody can dispute that rule of law cannot be ignored... But can an omnibus order be passed against demolitions... When in cases where authorities are rightly entitled to take action, will such an omnibus order stand in their way," a Bench led by Justices B.R. Gavai and P.S. Narasimha asked, posting the case for detailed hearing on August 10. In its latest affidavit on June 12, the Uttar Pradesh government said petitions being filed in the Supreme Court against “routine” demolitions were a surreptitious attempt by third parties such as the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind to protect “illegal encroachments” and “sensationalise” the issue. Uttar Pradesh said demolitions conducted so far were those against unauthorised constructions on public land. Action was taken strictly under the U.P. Municipal Corporation Act 1959 and U.P. Urban Planning and Development Act 1973. India, China to hold 16th Corps Commanders talks on July 17 India and China will hold the 16th round of Corps Commander talks on July 17 on the Chinese side at Moldo as part of efforts to take forward the stalled process of disengagement and de-escalation in eastern Ladakh. In addition to the focus on disengagement at Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area, the effort would also be to discuss disengagement from Demchok and Depsang, which have been the sticking points in the last few rounds of talks. Since the stand-off began in May 2020, the two sides have so far held 15 rounds of talks with disengagement undertaken from both sides of Pangong Tso in February 2021, and from PP 17 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area in August, in addition to Galwan in 2020 after the violent clash. The 15th round of Corps Commander talks took place on March 11, 2022. In addition, the two sides held talks at the political and diplomatic levels. India has been insisting on comprehensive disengagement and de-escalation of the situation in eastern Ladakh, while China has been reluctant to discuss Depsang and Demchok, maintaining that they are not a part of the current stand-off, officials have stated. Due to this, the 13th round of talks ended acrimoniously with both sides issuing strong statements and accusing the other. Over 50,000 troops and heavy equipment continue to be deployed on both sides close to the LAC for the second winter in very high altitude areas. China has also undertaken massive construction of infrastructure, habitat and support structures to maintain the troops close to the LAC, altering the ground status. Government calls all-party meeting ahead of Monsoon session The government has called for an all-party meeting on July 17 seeking the smooth functioning of Parliament's Monsoon session beginning on July 18. Also, the presiding officers of the two Houses will meet the floor leaders of various parties. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has convened the meeting of floor leaders on Saturday, and Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu will meet the floor leaders of various parties on Sunday evening. The customary meeting of all parties has been called by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi on Sunday morning to discuss the agenda and seek their support for the smooth functioning of the Parliament session, sources said. The Monsoon session of Parliament begins on July 18 and will continue till August 12. At least 14 killed after heavy rains in south Gujarat and Saurashtra At least 14 people died and over 31,000 were evacuated after parts of south Gujarat and Kutch-Saurashtra regions received very heavy showers in the last 24 hours. Further, three national highways in Kutch, Navsari and Dang districts were blocked due to damage caused by rains. Fifty one State highways and over 400 panchayat roads have also been damaged, State Disaster Management Minister Rajendra Trivedi said. As many as 31,035 people were shifted to safer places, with 21,094 still living in shelters provided by the respective district administrations and 9,941 returning to their homes after the rain waters receded. A total of 575 people stranded due to flooding in low-lying areas of different districts were rescued, Mr. Trivedi said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘red alert’, predicting heavy rains during the next 24 hours in the districts of Saurashtra and south Gujarat. In the four hours between 6 and 10 a.m. on Wednesday, parts of Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Dang and Amreli received downpour between 47 mm and 88 mm, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC). Several parts of Kutch, Bharuch, Dang, Navsari and Tapi districts in south Gujarat received very heavy rainfall in the 24-hour period till 6 a.m. on July 13. Rajkot, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Jamnagar were among districts in Saurashtra region that received heavy downpour, officials of the SEOC said. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has directed the administration to carry out a survey of the affected districts at the earliest so that people do not have to wait for long for cash and other reliefs to compensate for damages caused due to the rainfall, he said. Eighteen teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed for the rescue work and two kept on standby, he added. In Brief Precaution doses against COVID-19 will be provided free to people between 18 and 59 years of age for 75 days starting July 15 at government vaccination centres, the Centre said. Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said this special drive is to commemorate 75 years of Independence, ‘Azadi ka Amritotsav’. Currently, frontline workers and senior citizens are given the doses for free while others can it at private centres for a fee. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow [logo] The Evening Wrap 13 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]( Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed Sri Lanka’s acting President as turbulence persists Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the island and took refuge in the Maldives early on Wednesday, ahead of his promised resignation, appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as acting President, the island’s Parliamentary Speaker said.  The announcement came even as [enraged protesters overran the Premier’s office in Colombo]( amid persisting agitations against the leader, now as unpopular as the President who appointed him two months ago amid political turbulence in the wake of a daunting economic crisis. [Demonstrators shout slogans and wave Sri Lankan flags at the Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s Office in Colombo on July 13, 2022. ]  “We must end this fascist threat to democracy. We can’t allow the destruction of state property. The President’s office, the president’s secretariat and the Prime Minister’s official residence must be returned to proper custody. I have ordered military commanders and the police chief to do is what is necessary to restore order,” Mr. Wickremesinghe said in a televised address, his first to the nation after being appointed acting President.   Anti-government protesters broke into the main state television station and briefly took over broadcasts on Wednesday, video footage on private and social media showed. They also gathered outside the Air Force headquarters, after the Sri Lanka Air Force said that the President, First Lady and two bodyguards boarded an Air Force flight to the Maldives early on Wednesday, in a statement confirming its services to Mr. Gotabaya, who holds the positions of Minister of Defence and Commander-in-Chief, until his resignation.    Meanwhile, political party leaders who met the Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena Wednesday evening, requested him to ask the President and PM to resign immediately, or, asked the President to sack the PM before he resigns.  Although both Sri Lanka’s President and PM offered to resign following dramatic mass protests on Saturday — demonstrators stormed the President’s office and home, while arsonists torched the PM’s private residence — neither has stepped down, prolonging the political impasse, and fuelling anti-government protests.  Sri Lanka’s Constitution clearly lays out next steps in the event of the President’s and PM’s offices falling vacant, but the process cannot begin until the leaders resign.  Apparently resorting to an executive decision even before the Speaker officially appointed him acting president, Mr. Wickremesinghe’s office announced he had declared an island-wide Emergency and a curfew in the Western Province, “using his powers as acting President”.  The development came as thousands of angry protesters thronged the PM’s office and several other locations in capital Colombo Wednesday morning, hours after Mr. Gotabaya fled the country. Police used tear gas and water cannons against the demonstrators, injuring dozens.   When The Hindu asked the Prime Minister’s office how Mr. Wickremesinghe could invoke “powers of an acting President” when Mr. Gotabaya was still in office and was yet to appoint Mr. Wickremesinghe acting president, PM’s spokesman Dinouk Colombage said: “The legal explanation will follow. We want to get the situation under control first.” However, within half an hour, the PMO backtracked and said an Emergency “is to be” declared, “when the Prime Minister is made acting President”, signalling that the Premier’s office may have jumped the gun while invoking stringent regulations that Sri Lankans associate with arbitrary arrests and use of brute force by law enforcement authorities.    While speculation over Mr. Gotabaya’s whereabouts continue, a top official in the Maldives, who asked not to be named, citing “sensitivity” of the embattled leader’s arrival, told The Hindu that Mr. Gotabaya would “only transit” the country. Media reports said Maldives Parliamentary Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed received Mr. Gotabaya at the airport, but there was no official word from Male on the development. Asked where the Sri Lankan leader was headed next, the source declined comment. Mr. Gotabaya’s final destination remains unclear, but reports indicated he was headed to Singapore.  Supreme Court says it cannot pass ‘omnibus’ orders to stop demolitions by municipal authorities The [Supreme Court wondered whether it can pass "omnibus" orders to stop demolitions]( by municipal authorities across the country even as senior advocate Dushyant Dave insisted that the nation should refuse to accept the bulldozer "culture". Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for Uttar Pradesh, objected to Mr. Dave's submission that the demolitions targeted a certain community. "All communities are Indian communities... We cannot have community-based PILs in the Supreme Court," Mr. Mehta said. [A bulldozer in Prayagraj demolishes the ‘illegally constructed’ residence of Javed Ahmed, a local leader who was allegedly the key conspirator of violent protests against remarks on Prophet Muhammad. ] Mr. Dave countered by asking why then had the authorities not taken the bulldozers to unauthorised constructions and farm houses located in some of the poshest colonies of the Capital. "Entire Sainik Farms is illegal... Are we not all governed by the rule of law," he asked. "Nobody can dispute that rule of law cannot be ignored... But can an omnibus order be passed against demolitions... When in cases where authorities are rightly entitled to take action, will such an omnibus order stand in their way," a Bench led by Justices B.R. Gavai and P.S. Narasimha asked, posting the case for detailed hearing on August 10. In its latest affidavit on June 12, the Uttar Pradesh government said petitions being filed in the Supreme Court against “routine” demolitions were a surreptitious attempt by third parties such as the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind to protect “illegal encroachments” and “sensationalise” the issue. Uttar Pradesh said demolitions conducted so far were those against unauthorised constructions on public land. Action was taken strictly under the U.P. Municipal Corporation Act 1959 and U.P. Urban Planning and Development Act 1973. India, China to hold 16th Corps Commanders talks on July 17 [India and China will hold the 16th round of Corps Commander talks on July 17]( on the Chinese side at Moldo as part of efforts to take forward the stalled process of disengagement and de-escalation in eastern Ladakh. In addition to the focus on disengagement at Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area, the effort would also be to discuss disengagement from Demchok and Depsang, which have been the sticking points in the last few rounds of talks. Since the stand-off began in May 2020, the two sides have so far held 15 rounds of talks with disengagement undertaken from both sides of Pangong Tso in February 2021, and from PP 17 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area in August, in addition to Galwan in 2020 after the violent clash. The 15th round of Corps Commander talks took place on March 11, 2022. In addition, the two sides held talks at the political and diplomatic levels. India has been insisting on comprehensive disengagement and de-escalation of the situation in eastern Ladakh, while China has been reluctant to discuss Depsang and Demchok, maintaining that they are not a part of the current stand-off, officials have stated. Due to this, the 13th round of talks ended acrimoniously with both sides issuing strong statements and accusing the other. Over 50,000 troops and heavy equipment continue to be deployed on both sides close to the LAC for the second winter in very high altitude areas. China has also undertaken massive construction of infrastructure, habitat and support structures to maintain the troops close to the LAC, altering the ground status. Government calls all-party meeting ahead of Monsoon session The [government has called for an all-party meeting on July 17]( seeking the smooth functioning of Parliament's Monsoon session beginning on July 18. Also, the presiding officers of the two Houses will meet the floor leaders of various parties. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has convened the meeting of floor leaders on Saturday, and Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu will meet the floor leaders of various parties on Sunday evening. The customary meeting of all parties has been called by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi on Sunday morning to discuss the agenda and seek their support for the smooth functioning of the Parliament session, sources said. The Monsoon session of Parliament begins on July 18 and will continue till August 12. At least 14 killed after heavy rains in south Gujarat and Saurashtra [At least 14 people died and over 31,000 were evacuated]( after parts of south Gujarat and Kutch-Saurashtra regions received very heavy showers in the last 24 hours. Further, three national highways in Kutch, Navsari and Dang districts were blocked due to damage caused by rains. Fifty one State highways and over 400 panchayat roads have also been damaged, State Disaster Management Minister Rajendra Trivedi said. As many as 31,035 people were shifted to safer places, with 21,094 still living in shelters provided by the respective district administrations and 9,941 returning to their homes after the rain waters receded. A total of 575 people stranded due to flooding in low-lying areas of different districts were rescued, Mr. Trivedi said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘red alert’, predicting heavy rains during the next 24 hours in the districts of Saurashtra and south Gujarat. In the four hours between 6 and 10 a.m. on Wednesday, parts of Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Dang and Amreli received downpour between 47 mm and 88 mm, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC). Several parts of Kutch, Bharuch, Dang, Navsari and Tapi districts in south Gujarat received very heavy rainfall in the 24-hour period till 6 a.m. on July 13. Rajkot, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Jamnagar were among districts in Saurashtra region that received heavy downpour, officials of the SEOC said. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has directed the administration to carry out a survey of the affected districts at the earliest so that people do not have to wait for long for cash and other reliefs to compensate for damages caused due to the rainfall, he said. Eighteen teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed for the rescue work and two kept on standby, he added. In Brief [Precaution doses against COVID-19 will be provided free to people between 18 and 59 years of age for 75 days starting July 15]( at government vaccination centres, the Centre said. Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said this special drive is to commemorate 75 years of Independence, ‘Azadi ka Amritotsav’. Currently, frontline workers and senior citizens are given the doses for free while others can it at private centres for a fee. 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