Hindi English Translation || Editorial || A sense of an ending: On the release of Rajiv Gandhi case convicts

A sense of an ending: On the release of Rajiv Gandhi case convicts

Remorse (पश्चात्ताप, पछतावा) on the part of the convicts (अपराधी, दोषी) should be a prior requirement for premature (असामयिक, बहुत जल्दी) release

The release of the six remaining convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination (हत्या) case marks (show, indicate, denote) the end of a tragic episode (प्रकरण, घटना) that began with India’s disastrous involvement (भागीदारी, सहभागिता) in Sri Lanka’s internal strife (संघर्ष, विवाद) in the 1980s. The assassination in May 1991, ordered by the LTTE leadership and carried out by a suicide bomber, caused revulsion (शत्रुता, प्रतिकर्षण, अवमानना). However, over time, the prolonged (लंबा, दीर्घकालीन) incarceration (कैद, जेल में बन्द करना) of the seven persons ultimately found guilty evoked (आह्वान करना, आकर्षित करना, उत्पन्न करना) some public sympathy. Political parties in Tamil Nadu campaigned (अभियान, काम) for the release of the four convicts on death row (argument, quarrel, difference of opinion, disagreement) and three serving (spend, complete, go through) life terms (life imprisonment (until death)). The Supreme Court commuted the death sentences (वाक्य, निर्णय) to life in 2014. A resolution (संकल्प, प्रस्ताव) adopted by the Tamil Nadu Cabinet in 2018 for releasing them under Article 161 of the Constitution (संविधान का अनुच्छेद 161) was not acted upon by the then Governor for a long time. Ultimately, he forwarded it to the Centre for its opinion. The Court, earlier this year, found no constitutional (relating to the Constitution; legal, lawful) basis (reason, grounds, cause) for the Governor’s action and invoked its extraordinary powers (The Supreme Court of India can invoke its extraordinary powers enshrined in Article 142 of the Constitution to ensure “complete justice” in any case pending before it) to order the release of A.G. Perarivalan. The same benefit has now been extended to others. While their release is no occasion (time, moment) to celebrate, contrary (opposite, conflicting, different) to what sections of the media and the political class seem to believe, it is not one for lamentation (complaint, grief, expression of grief/sorrow; weeping, wailing, crying, moaning) either. The plot’s masterminds (originator, initiator, planner, plotter) are dead and only mid-level operatives and some local collaborators (conspirator; assistant, helper) were apprehended (arrest, catch, capture (someone for a crime); take prisoner, take into custody, detain, put in jail, put behind bars, imprison, incarcerate). A sense (feeling, recognition, perception) that 31 years of imprisonment is punishment enough does indeed (in fact, actually, undeniably) prevail (exist, be in existence, be present, be prevalent).

Their release is the culmination (completion, finish, conclusion; crowning moment) of due process (fair treatment (per established principles & procedures)) in a vibrant (spirited, lively, high-spirited, energetic, vigorous, dynamic, exciting, passionate, fiery, determined) legal system that is not without its flaws (defect, fault, imperfection/weakness). A chilling (frightening, terrifying, disturbing/horrifying) trial court verdict that sentenced (pass judgement on, punish, convict) all 26 available accused to death in 1998 did not impress the Supreme Court. Based on a calmer appraisal (analysis, evaluation, assessment, review) of evidence, its 1999 judgment acquitted (declare innocent; discharge, release, free (from a criminal charge)) 19 of them of conspiracy (unlawful plan, intrigue, collaboration/deception) charges, resulting in their release. Of the remaining seven, four were sentenced to death, and three to life. Nalini, recruited into the plot as a local chaperone (companion, protector, bodyguard) to the potential (possible, probable, likely) suicide bombers, got the benefit of commutation in 2000 itself. So too did Ravichandran, who had hoped to lead an armed separatist (dissident, nonconformist, sectarian) movement (campaign, drive) in Tamil Nadu with the LTTE’s help. The prison system, too, proved its benign side. Most of them acquired new educational qualifications, while one could even indulge in (become involved in something) literary (something that is connected with the writing, study, or appreciation of literature) pursuits (quest, search, activity). Their freedom has come about through legal processes and legitimate (valid, reasonable, reliable) advocacy (support, endorsement, backing, approval). At the same time, it should not be forgotten that the victims’ families have suffered a lot, with few offering them succour (aid/help/support, assistance, relief (during difficulty)) or sympathy over the years. The tragic episode should occasion (cause, give rise to, bring about, result in, lead to, prompt, call forth) a fresh evaluation of the remission (it implies reducing the period of sentence without changing its character (whereas commutation denotes the substitution of a form of punishment for a lighter one)) system and norms for premature release of life convicts. Going by the glaring (evident, flagrant, blatant, obvious) omission in this particular case, some indication of remorse on the part of the convicts should be a prior requirement.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.remorse (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पश्चात्ताप, पछतावा
English Meaning - deep regret, penitence, sorrow/feelings of guilt.

2.convict (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अपराधी, दोषी
English Meaning - prisoner, inmate; criminal, lawbreaker, offender.

3.premature (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - असामयिक, बहुत जल्दी
English Meaning - untimely, early, too soon, too early, before time.

4.assassination (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हत्या
English Meaning - murder, killing.

5.episode (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रकरण, घटना
English Meaning - incident, event, occurrence.

6.involvement (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भागीदारी, सहभागिता
English Meaning - participation, taking part, engagement.

7.strife (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संघर्ष, विवाद
English Meaning - conflict, friction, discord, disagreement.

8.revulsion (noun)

Hindi Meaning - शत्रुता, प्रतिकर्षण, अवमानना
English Meaning - disgust, repulsion, contempt, aversion, antipathy, hatred, dislike.

9.prolonged (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - लंबा, दीर्घकालीन
English Meaning - lengthy, extended, protracted, continuing, unending, unrelenting.

10.incarceration (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कैद, जेल में बन्द करना
English Meaning - imprisonment, confinement, captivity, custody.

11.evoke (verb)

Hindi Meaning - आह्वान करना, आकर्षित करना, उत्पन्न करना
English Meaning - draw, give rise to, bring, call forth.

12.campaign (verb)

Hindi Meaning - अभियान, काम
English Meaning - work, push, press, fight, battle; advocate, support, champion, speak for.

13.sentence (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वाक्य, निर्णय
English Meaning - judgement, ruling, verdict.

14.resolution (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संकल्प, प्रस्ताव
English Meaning - an official expression of the opinion or will of a legislative body.

15.Article 161 of the Constitution (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संविधान का अनुच्छेद 161
English Meaning - As per Article 161, the Governor of a State shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence against any law relating to a matter to which the executive power of the State extends.

16.mark (verb)

English Meaning - show, indicate, denote.

17.Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) (noun)

English Meaning - The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were a militant separatist group fighting for an independent homeland for Hindu Tamils in Northeastern Sri Lanka.

18.carry out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - conduct, perform, implement, execute, bring about.

19.guilty (adjective)

English Meaning - culpable, blameworthy, at fault, in the wrong, responsible.

20.row (noun)

English Meaning - argument, quarrel, difference of opinion, disagreement.

21.serve (verb)

English Meaning - spend, complete, go through.

22.life terms (noun)

English Meaning - life imprisonment (until death).

23.commute (verb)

English Meaning - reduce, lessen, scale down (a judicial sentence, especially a sentence of death).

24.act upon (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - comply with, act in accordance with, follow.

25.constitutional (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the Constitution; legal, lawful.

26.basis (noun)

English Meaning - reason, grounds, cause.

27.extraordinary power (noun)

English Meaning - The Supreme Court of India can invoke its extraordinary powers enshrined in Article 142 of the Constitution to ensure “complete justice” in any case pending before it.

28.extend (verb)

English Meaning - offer, give, present.

29.occasion (noun)

English Meaning - time, moment.

30.contrary (noun)

English Meaning - opposite, conflicting, different.

31.section (noun)

English Meaning - a separate group within a large group.

32.lamentation (noun)

English Meaning - complaint, grief, expression of grief/sorrow; weeping, wailing, crying, moaning.

33.mastermind (noun)

English Meaning - originator, initiator, planner, plotter.

34.collaborator (noun)

English Meaning - conspirator; assistant, helper.

35.apprehend (verb)

English Meaning - arrest, catch, capture (someone for a crime); take prisoner, take into custody, detain, put in jail, put behind bars, imprison, incarcerate.

36.sense (noun)

English Meaning - feeling, recognition, perception.

37.indeed (adverb)

English Meaning - in fact, actually, undeniably.

38.prevail (verb)

English Meaning - exist, be in existence, be present, be prevalent.

39.omission (noun)

English Meaning - negligence, carelessness, disregard, oversight.

40.culmination (noun)

English Meaning - completion, finish, conclusion; crowning moment.

41.due process (noun)

English Meaning - fair treatment (per established principles & procedures).

42.vibrant (adjective)

English Meaning - spirited, lively, high-spirited, energetic, vigorous, dynamic, exciting, passionate, fiery, determined.

43.flaw (noun)

English Meaning - defect, fault, imperfection/weakness.

44.chilling (adjective)

English Meaning - frightening, terrifying, disturbing/horrifying.

45.trial court (noun)

English Meaning - a court of law where cases are tried at first. (try means to investigate and decide (a case) in a formal trial).

46.sentence (verb)

English Meaning - pass judgement on, punish, convict.

47.calmer comparative adjective of calm (adjective)

English Meaning - quiet, smooth.

48.appraisal (noun)

English Meaning - analysis, evaluation, assessment, review.

49.acquit (verb)

English Meaning - declare innocent; discharge, release, free (from a criminal charge).

50.conspiracy (noun)

English Meaning - unlawful plan, intrigue, collaboration/deception.

51.result in (verb)

English Meaning - lead to, cause, bring on.

52.chaperone (noun)

English Meaning - companion, protector, bodyguard.

53.potential (adjective)

English Meaning - possible, probable, likely.

54.armed (adjective)

English Meaning - equipped with firearms.

55.separatist (noun/adjective)

English Meaning - dissident, nonconformist, sectarian.

56.movement (noun)

English Meaning - campaign, drive.

57.benign (adjective)

English Meaning - mild, favourable, agreeable, advantageous, beneficial, helpful.

58.indulge in (verb)

English Meaning - become involved in something.

59.literary (noun)

English Meaning - something that is connected with the writing, study, or appreciation of literature.

60.pursuit (noun)

English Meaning - quest, search, activity.

61.legitimate (adjective)

English Meaning - valid, reasonable, reliable.

62.advocacy (noun)

English Meaning - support, endorsement, backing, approval.

63.succour (noun)

English Meaning - aid/help/support, assistance, relief (during difficulty).

64.occasion (verb)

English Meaning - cause, give rise to, bring about, result in, lead to, prompt, call forth.

65.remission (noun)

English Meaning - it implies reducing the period of sentence without changing its character (whereas commutation denotes the substitution of a form of punishment for a lighter one).

66.norm (noun)

English Meaning - standard, convention, regulation.

67.go by (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to follow or use data/information given by something/someone.

68.glaring (adjective)

English Meaning - evident, flagrant, blatant, obvious.