Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Collective punishment: On M.P. move to demolish property of ‘rioters’

Collective punishment: On M.P. move to demolish property of ‘rioters’

The demolition of property of ‘rioters’ in M.P. is part of a wider agenda targeting Muslims

The rule of law (विधि-शासन, कानून का शासन) has a new interpretation (व्याख्या, अर्थ, समझ, स्पष्टीकरण) in Madhya Pradesh: it is whatever is done by the rulers, and requires neither law nor process. The demolition of about 45 pieces of property, both houses and shops, allegedly (कथित रूप से, जाहिरा तौर पर) belonging to “rioters” at Khargone, a day after a procession to mark (निशान, निरीक्षण करना, स्मरण करना) Ram Navami, does not appear to be based on any law. It is undoubtedly (निश्चित रूप से, स्पष्ट रूप से) an instance (उदाहरण) of collective punishment (सामूहिक सजा) for the alleged acts of a few. There is little doubt that it was a state-backed (सरकार समर्थित, सरकार द्वारा समर्थित) drive (approach, way, push, initiative, movement) aimed at Muslims. The basis for the action is the allegation (आरोप, अभियोग) that the Hindu procession was targeted by stones as it passed through a lane (road, path, street, way) adjacent to a mosque. An official spin (angle, twist (in a particular way to present an information)) is sought to be given to the demolition drive that these were “encroachments (अतिक्रमण, घुसपैठ, अतिचार)” and were removed under existing rules. However, the zeal (उत्साह, प्रतिबद्धता, भक्ति) shown in bringing in bulldozers a day after violence marred (spoil, ruin, impair, damage) the Ram Navami procession indicates that punishing those suspected of involvement was the main motivating factor. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has warned that rioters would not be spared (pardon, grant a pardon to, excuse, leave unpunished, forgive, release, free, let off) and that action would not be limited to arrests, but would extend to recovery of damages from property owned by them. The legal basis is possibly (संभवत:, शायद मुमकिन है।) a 2009 order of the Supreme Court, permitting the pinning of the blame on organisers of an event if it ends in violence, and recovering compensation (payment, repayment, settlement (for loss/damage)) from them against claims. However, even that was allowed only after their involvement in the violence was proved, an element clearly absent here.

Hindutva outfits (संगठन, समूह) have been, for some time now, targeting Muslim businesses with calls (ask for, request, appeal, demand) for boycott and dissemination (spreading, circulation, distribution) of rumours about their practices. In the backdrop (situation, scenario, context, background) of an upsurge in calls for violence against Muslims, some with a genocidal (relating to the deliberate mass murder/killing) tenor (the general content/meaning), there is reason to believe that there is a larger agenda (intention, motive) behind the various incidents of communal colour (tone) taking place. The objective (aim, intention, purpose, target) seems to be to provoke (incite, rouse, stir, prompt, induce; motivate, encourage) some sort of retaliation (revenge, vengeance, counter-attack) so that they can be portrayed (represent, depict, characterize, describe, present) as culprits (offender, wrongdoer, criminal, lawbreaker) and severe punishment, both legal and extra-legal (not regulated by the law), meted out (dispense, hand out, issue, deal out, give out, assign (a punishment)). The ‘othering (alienation, isolation, detachment, separation)’ of Muslims is no more discreet (careful, circumspect, cautious, close-lipped; delicate, diplomatic, sensible), but is being actively promoted in public (publicly, openly, blatantly, flagrantly, overtly, boldly, audaciously, unashamedly, shamelessly) and shared through social media. In some disturbing visuals, men appearing to be saffron-robed monks are seen handing out (distribute, give out, deal out, mete out) death and rape threats. The sight (view) of crowds dancing with raised swords and saffron flags outside mosques, even as obscene (rude, dirty, filthy, vulgar, foul, nasty, disgusting, offensive, shameless) slogans and provocative (annoying, irritating, agitational, provoking, inflammatory) songs are being played, has become a defining visual in the Hindutva project. The country should not be allowed to be driven towards an atmosphere (environment, background, backdrop, setting, context; conditions, circumstances) of communal tension with the tacit (implicit, understood, implied, unspoken, unstated, undeclared, unsaid, unexpressed, unmentioned) support of the government machinery (system, apparatus, structure) in several States.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.collective punishment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सामूहिक सजा
English Meaning - a form of sanction/ban imposed on persons or a group of persons in response to a crime committed by one of them or a member of the group.

2.move (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कदम, क्रिया, प्रस्ताव
English Meaning - initiative, step, action, act, measure.

3.rule of law (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - विधि-शासन, कानून का शासन
English Meaning - it is described as “a principle of governance in which all persons, institutions and entities, public and private, including the State itself, are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced and independently adjudicated, and which are consistent with international human rights norms and standards.

4.interpretation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - व्याख्या, अर्थ, समझ, स्पष्टीकरण
English Meaning - explanation, meaning, understanding, clarification, definition.

5.allegedly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - कथित रूप से, जाहिरा तौर पर
English Meaning - reportedly, supposedly, purportedly, ostensibly, apparently.

6.mark (verb)

Hindi Meaning - निशान, निरीक्षण करना, स्मरण करना
English Meaning - celebrate, observe, commemorate.

7.undoubtedly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - निश्चित रूप से, स्पष्ट रूप से
English Meaning - clearly, obviously, absolutely, certainly.

8.instance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उदाहरण
English Meaning - example.

9.alleged (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - कथित, माना जाता है, दावा किया जाता है
English Meaning - supposed, claimed, professed, purported, reported, ostensible.

10.state-backed (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सरकार समर्थित, सरकार द्वारा समर्थित
English Meaning - supported by the government.

11.allegation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आरोप, अभियोग
English Meaning - charge, accusation, indictment.

12.encroachment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अतिक्रमण, घुसपैठ, अतिचार
English Meaning - intrusion, infiltration, incursion, trespass, invasion.

13.zeal (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उत्साह, प्रतिबद्धता, भक्ति
English Meaning - committedness, devotion, enthusiasm, eagerness, keenness.

14.possibly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - संभवत:, शायद मुमकिन है।
English Meaning - perhaps, maybe.

15.outfit (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संगठन, समूह
English Meaning - organization, group.

16.collective (adjective)

English Meaning - common, shared, joint, combined.

17.procession (noun)

English Meaning - march.

18.drive (noun)

English Meaning - approach, way, push, initiative, movement.

19.lane (noun)

English Meaning - road, path, street, way.

20.spin (noun)

English Meaning - angle, twist (in a particular way to present an information).

21.sought past tense of seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, aim, attempt; ask for, appeal to, demand.

22.mar (verb)

English Meaning - spoil, ruin, impair, damage.

23.spare (verb)

English Meaning - pardon, grant a pardon to, excuse, leave unpunished, forgive, release, free, let off.

24.pin on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - blame something on, lay the blame for something on, attribute something to, ascribe something to.

25.compensation (noun)

English Meaning - payment, repayment, settlement (for loss/damage).

26.call (for) (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - ask for, request, appeal, demand.

27.dissemination (noun)

English Meaning - spreading, circulation, distribution.

28.backdrop (noun)

English Meaning - situation, scenario, context, background.

29.genocidal (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the deliberate mass murder/killing.

30.tenor (noun)

English Meaning - the general content/meaning.

31.agenda (noun)

English Meaning - intention, motive.

32.colour (noun)

English Meaning - tone.

33.objective (noun)

English Meaning - aim, intention, purpose, target.

34.provoke (verb)

English Meaning - incite, rouse, stir, prompt, induce; motivate, encourage.

35.retaliation (noun)

English Meaning - revenge, vengeance, counter-attack.

36.portray (verb)

English Meaning - represent, depict, characterize, describe, present.

37.culprit (noun)

English Meaning - offender, wrongdoer, criminal, lawbreaker.

38.extra-legal (adjective)

English Meaning - not regulated by the law.

39.mete out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - dispense, hand out, issue, deal out, give out, assign (a punishment).

40.othering (noun)

English Meaning - alienation, isolation, detachment, separation.

41.discreet (adjective)

English Meaning - careful, circumspect, cautious, close-lipped; delicate, diplomatic, sensible.

42.in public (phrase)

English Meaning - publicly, openly, blatantly, flagrantly, overtly, boldly, audaciously, unashamedly, shamelessly.

43.hand out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - distribute, give out, deal out, mete out.

44.sight (noun)

English Meaning - view.

45.obscene (adjective)

English Meaning - rude, dirty, filthy, vulgar, foul, nasty, disgusting, offensive, shameless.

46.provocative (adjective)

English Meaning - annoying, irritating, agitational, provoking, inflammatory.

47.atmosphere (noun)

English Meaning - environment, background, backdrop, setting, context; conditions, circumstances.

48.tacit (adjective)

English Meaning - implicit, understood, implied, unspoken, unstated, undeclared, unsaid, unexpressed, unmentioned.

49.machinery (noun)

English Meaning - system, apparatus, structure.