Morning Digest: PM Modi likely to respond to Motion of Thanks debate in Lok Sabha today; Delhi HC to hear Kejriwal’s plea against arrest today, and more

The Hindu Morning Digest gives a select list of stories to start the day. Read the top news today on July 2, 2024

The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear on Tuesday Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a corruption case related to the excise policy ‘scam’. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener has also challenged a June 26 order of the trial court, which remanded him in CBI’s custody for three days. The court had subsequently, on June 29, extended Mr. Kejriwal’s judicial custody till July 12, saying his name had surfaced as one of the main conspirators. It had also remarked that his further custodial interrogation might be required as the investigation is under way.

Ruling BJP says Modi’s third term is for stability and development, Opposition counters

Former Union Minister Anurag Thakur on July 1 said the mandate for the BJP’s third term in office was one for stability and development .Opening the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, Mr. Thakur said India was once a fragile economy; in the past 10 years, the country has become the world’s fifth-largest and also the fastest-growing economy. Soon, however, the BJP MP raised the Hindutva pitch, saying India was, is and will remain “Sanatan”.

Supreme Court rules on Trump immunity, delaying trial

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on July 1 that Donald Trump enjoys some immunity from prosecution as a former President, a ruling that will likely delay his trial for conspiring to overturn the 2020 election .The 6-3 decision split along ideological lines comes four months ahead of the election in which Mr. Trump is the Republican candidate to take on Democrat Joe Biden. Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, in his majority opinion, said a President enjoys “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution for official acts taken while in office.

Pakistani court sentences Christian man to death for posting hateful content against Muslims

A court in Pakistan sentenced a Christian man to death for sharing what it said was hateful content against Muslims on social media after one of the worst mob attacks on Christians in the eastern Punjab province last year, his lawyer said on July 1, adding he will appeal the verdict. In August 2023, groups of Muslim men burned dozens of homes and churches in the city of Jaranwala after some residents claimed they saw two Christian men tearing out pages from Islam’s holy book, the Koran, throwing them on the ground and writing insulting remarks on other pages, authorities said. The two men were later arrested.