RNI No.2016/1957, REGD NO. SSP/LW/NP-34/2016-18 Follow us on: @TheDailyPioneer facebook.com/dailypioneer instagram.com/dailypioneer/ Established 1864 Late City Vol. 154 Issue 336 Published From *Air Surcharge Extra if Applicable NATION 5 WORLD 7 SPORT 11 DELHI LUCKNOW BHOPAL YAMUNA E-WAY SPEED ‘YELLOW VESTS' GATHER BELGIUM TO FACE BHUBANESWAR RANCHI LIMIT FIXED AT 75KMPH RAIPUR CHANDIGARH ON DECISIVE WEEKEND HOLLAND IN WC FINAL DEHRADUN LUCKNOW, SUNDAY DECEMBER 16, 2018; PAGES 12+8 `3 www.dailypioneer.com 3 ultras, USUALSUSPECTS 1 jawan Govt moves SC to SWAPAN DASGUPTA 7 civilians shot during killed in Pulwama undo PAC error in GST, unaddressed Hindu bid to shield terrorists encounter Rafale judgment KHURSHEED WANI n SRINAGAR Kharge urges concerns blighted BJP even civilian protesters, Sthree terrorists and an Army panel members to arliament didn’t function last week and, as of now, there jawan were killed, besides Pare no indications that it will work next week. Elated by scores of youngsters wounded, summon A-G, CAG the Congress victory in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and in the counter-terrorist opera- Rajasthan, the opponents of Prime Minister Narendra Modi tion by security forces in a vil- for explanation seem quite hell bent on ensuring that India has a lame duck lage in South Kashmir’s Government between now and the end of May 2019, when Pulwama district on Saturday the outcome of the general election will be known. That such morning. PNS n NEW DELHI an approach — unless good sense prevails — is bad for The killings evoked wide- democracy and bad for the country hardly warrants spread condemnation from gainst the backdrop of reiteration. But this pronouncement of disapproval apart, the both separatist and mainstream ACongress and petitioners issue and accused the disruption is also also a pointer to the fact that the political leadership in Kashmir of the Rafale case in the Government of misleading the Opposition today believes that the Modi Government is on while authorities snapped Supreme Court crying foul, the apex court on CAG report. its last legs and is likely to be re-elected. Whether such a mobile internet services in sev- Centre on Saturday moved the While Congress leader view is rash, unrealistic or premature is beside the point. The eral areas of the Valley, includ- apex court seeking correction Mallikarjun Kharge, who chairs reality of this impression among parties that see their future ing Srinagar. The separatists in the Rafale judgment where the PAC, had said no such in the Treasury benches in the truncated Budget session of have called for three-day shut- a reference has been made report had come to him, peti- June 2019 is undeniable. down against the killings. about the Comptroller and tioners Yashwant Sinha, Arun What, however, is equally interesting is that the Eyewitnesses said young- Auditor General (CAG) report Shourie and Prashant Bhushan triumphalism of the Congress and some regional parties sters were killed after security and Parliament’s Public too flagged the alleged wrong- hasn’t translated into a corresponding demoralisation in the forces opened fire on the civil- Accounts Committee (PAC), doings of the BJP led Modi ranks of the BJP. That the party was seriously jolted by the ians who were protesting Army soldiers take position during an encounter with terrorists at Sirnoo in Pulwama of south Kashmir on Saturday PTI saying “misinterpretation” of its Government in the matter. defeat in the three states, especially Chhattisgarh and against the anti-terrorist oper- note has “resulted in a contro- Kharge said he will request Madhya Pradesh where it has governed for the past 15 ation in Kharpora Sirnoo vil- while another injured was Sources said in the initial Reports said a large num- versy in the public domain.” PAC members to summon the years, is obvious. There was always the expectation that lage in Pulwama. admitted to military hospital. phase of operation, two civil- ber of people, mostly youth, In the application, the Attorney General and the CAG these would be bitterly contested elections but there was The protesters were march- The slain terrorists were ians were killed in action fol- pelted stones on security forces Centre said the two sentences to ask them when the public always the belief that the party would squeak through ing towards the encounter site identified as Adnan, alias Tahir lowing heavy violent clashes near the encounter site at in paragraph 25 of the judg- auditor’s report was tabled in narrowly. Instead, it has lost narrowly in Madhya Pradesh apparently to disrupt the Hizbi, a resident of Karimabad amid stone pelting with police Sirnoo village. The security ment appeared to have been Parliament. (despite securing more popular votes) and Rajasthan, and counter-terrorist operation to Pulwama; Bilal Ahmad, alias and paramilitary forces after forces used first lobbed tear based on the note submitted by The SC had on Friday dis- been defeated resoundingly in Chhattisgarh. However, it is give safe passage to the holed Hashim, a resident of Rajpora news spread about the killing smoke shells. As the situation it along with the pricing details missed the pleas challenging the narrowness of the defeats and the belief that general up terrorists. Pulwama; and a former Army of three terrorists in the area. could not contained, they used in a sealed cover, but indicat- the deal between India and elections are fought on different, national issues that gives The civilians’ death man Zahoor Ahmad Thokar of Five more civilians succumbed pellets and then live ammuni- ed the words used by the court France for 36 Rafale jets saying the BJP the hope that the outcome of the electoral war is still occurred after three local Sirnoo Pulwama, who desert- to grievous injuries while at tion to quell the protests. Local lent a different meaning. there was no occasion to “real- wide open and certainly winnable. Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists ed the Army ranks last year to least two dozen injured civil- sources said the forces fired The Government moved ly doubt the decision making In politics, it is always important to consider what lessons were killed in an encounter in join Hizbul Mujahideen group. ians were undergoing treat- indiscriminately leading to the application a day after the process” warranting setting the players have drawn the area. An Army jawan was Thokar was one among senior ment at various hospitals in large number of injuries. Opposition Congress and oth- aside of the contract. from an important also killed in the operation commanders. Pulwama and Srinagar. Turn to Page 6 ers raised questions on the Turn to Page 6 The loss of a chunk of electoral encounter. In the immediate aftermath of traditional voters is the counting, the media concluded that it was attributed to three factors. widespread rural distress PM to visit Rae Bareli today that accounted for the First, the party’s own BJP’s losses. This PNS n LUCKNOW to flag off the 900th coach built ership, especially party presi- conclusion was at Modern Rail Coach Factory dent Amit Shah and Prime feedback suggests that disproportionately based fter the defeat of his party in Lalganj in the district, senior Minister Narendra Modi, on the outcome in Ain the assembly elections in leaders of Bharatiya Janata would do their best to keep the there is dissatisfaction Chhattisgarh where, it three Hindi heartland states, Party monitoring the prepara- party cadre in high spirit, and over the changes brought seemed, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi tions on the ground said Modi's the Rae Bareli visit fits right announcement by Rahul is set to kick off an aggressive “official trip” to Rae Bareli will into that narrative. It will give about by the Goods and Gandhi of a big hike in the election campaign for the 2019 give a clear message to party the message that the party is Minimum Support Price of Lok Sabha elections in Uttar workers to get ready for an neither on the defensive nor Services Tax. Secondly, paddy and promise of Pradesh from Rae Bareli, the intense electoral campaign dur- lacking in aggression. loan waiver in the first 10 parliamentary constituency of ing the Lok Sabha polls. BJP spokesperson Chandra while there is no evidence days of a new government United Progressive Alliance Having faced an aggressive Mohan said: “No constituency had an electrifying impact. chairperson Sonia Gandhi, on and resurgent Congress in or area is anyone’s fiefdom. Rae of demonetisation being Curiously, this Sunday. This will be his first Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh Bareli and Amethi have lacked impression of farmers visit to the traditional seat of and Chhattisgarh, the BJP lead- on development for decades a factor, there is disquiet voting with their feet the Gandhi family. ership realises that the 'Road to and the Prime Minister’s visit against the BJP is not Modi will also visit 2019' is not easy. The party will to the town is in tune with our over cash shortages. universally shared in the Prayagraj to review prepara- also be faced with a formida- promise to bring development saffron camp. Based on tions for the Kumbh Mela to be ble challenge in Uttar Pradesh, back in this region.” Finally, there are their internal assessments, held in the Sangam city next as Bahujan Samaj Party and After Rae Bareli, the Prime the party has concluded year. Samajwadi Party look all set for Minister will visit Prayagraj on specifically Hindu that while a section of Though the Prime an electoral alliance. In this the same day to review the concerns farmers are uneasy, the Foreign diplomats pose for a photo at Bade Hanumanji Temple during their day-long visit to Kumbh in Prayagraj on Saturday PTI Minister is visiting Rae Bareli backdrop, the BJP’s top lead- Turn to Page 6 mood is neither resoundingly anti-BJP or pro-Congress.