Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Disquiet down south: On the Karnataka Assembly election

Disquiet down south: On the Karnataka Assembly election

The stakes (दाँव, प्रतियोगिता) are high for all parties in the Karnataka Assembly election

The Election Commission of India has cited (refer to, make reference to, mention, point to) urban voter apathy (उदासीनता, उपेक्षा) and the influence of money as key challenges in conducting a fair and robust (मजबूत, शक्तिशाली) election process in Karnataka while announcing the schedule of Assembly polls in the State. Voting will be on May 10 and the results are to be announced on May 13. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to retain the only southern State where it has ever won power. In 2018, a coalition (गठबंधन, संघ) of the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) had formed the government which collapsed following defections (दलबदल, विश्वासघात), paving the way to power for the BJP under the leadership of B.S. Yediyurappa. He was later replaced with Basavaraj Bommai, as the BJP wanted to rework its terms of engagement (association, involvement, participation) with the powerful Lingayat community to which both belong (संबंधित होना). Mr. Yediyurappa remains the force to reckon with (take into account, take into consideration, think about, believe; deal/cope with), and the BJP central leadership is now trying to placate (appease, calm, pacify) him, lest (in case, just in case) he ruin (बर्बाद करना) the pitch (words used to try to convince someone to accept something) for the party’s re-election bid (attempt, effort, endeavour/try). Politics in the State is traditionally (पारंपरिक रूप से, आमतौर पर) driven by two dominant castes, the Lingayats and the Vokkaligas, and a subtext (implicit/indirect meaning; hidden agenda; (underlying) connotation, association, hint, implication; undertone) of linguistic (भाषा-संबंधी) subnationalism (उपराष्ट्रवाद) that surfaces (emerge, appear, arise, come up) occasionally (कभी-कभी, समय-समय पर). The BJP’s attempt has been to alter the social dynamics (basic/fundamental cause or force that triggers change within a system) of the States to create a Hindu identity (पहचान) politics that overwhelms (affect, disturb, shake, devastate, blow away) caste identities and is antagonistic (विरोधी, शत्रुतापूर्ण) to religious minorities. Through propaganda (प्रचार करना) and policy, the party has advanced (promote, further, strengthen, improve, foster; make progress, make headway) Hindutva in the State, and this election will be a test of the extent (degree, range, level) of its success.

A mix of deeply (seriously, intensely, strongly) divisive (alienating/isolating, disharmonious, discordant) campaigns (an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making progress within a specific group) around the wearing of the hijab (a head covering, generally a veil or a scarf, worn in public by some Muslim women) in schools, interfaith (between different religions; relating to members of different religions) romance, religious conversions and distortion (misrepresentation, falsification, misreporting, misstatement, manipulation) of history to paint (portray, depict, represent) the anti-British Tipu Sultan as an anti-Hindu despot (dictator, absolute ruler, tyrant, totalitarian, authoritarian, autocrat) have gained the BJP a strong position, but it has also created new tensions that could be counterproductive (harmful, damaging, dangerous/destructive) for the party. The rise of Islamist (relating to Islamic fundamentalism) politics gives additional ammunition (points, considerations, pointers, material, information, evidence, testimony, facts, data, input (that can be used in support of one’s situation in an argument/debate)) for BJP’s politics in the State. The Congress has a robust ground game (the part of a political campaign that focuses on grassroots activity. it involves to go into communities; knocking on doors to meet with constituents (voters), staging rallies, addressing various interest groups, calling homes, establishing field offices and other similar activities) in Karnataka, as well as local leaders who have the capacity and the will (will power, determination, firmness of purpose, resolve, commitment) to give the BJP a spirited (vibrant, energetic, vigorous, dynamic, courageous, resolute, determined, bold) challenge. The outcome of the Karnataka elections will have ripples across the country, considering that two national parties, the BJP and the Congress, are face to face. The BJP hopes to neutralise (eliminate, cancel out, invalidate; counteract, counterbalance) the Janata Dal (S) and the political dominance of the two dominant caste groups. The Congress on the other hand (as an alternative, as another option) has yet to demonstrate that it would leave no stone unturned (to do every (single) thing possible in order to achieve something; not give up, be persistent, be determined) to win this crucial battle. Considering the high stakes, the chances of a toxic (venomous, destructive, harmful; poisonous, dangerous, injurious) campaign season are real. The Election Commission of India needs to keep the campaign civil (polite, courteous, well mannered) and in adherence (allegiance, commitment, faithfulness, obedience) to the model code of conduct (a set of guidelines meant for political parties, candidates and governments to adhere to during an election).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.disquiet (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बेचैनी, संकट
English Meaning - unease, uneasiness, worry, anguish, distress, concern.

2.stake (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दाँव, प्रतियोगिता
English Meaning - competition, contest, battle, challenge.

3.apathy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उदासीनता, उपेक्षा
English Meaning - disregard, lack of interest, indifference, unconcern.

4.robust (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - मजबूत, शक्तिशाली
English Meaning - strong, powerful.

5.coalition (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गठबंधन, संघ
English Meaning - alliance, association, union, partnership.

6.defection (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दलबदल, विश्वासघात
English Meaning - changing sides, desertion, absconding, decamping; betrayal, disloyalty.

7.belong (verb)

Hindi Meaning - संबंधित होना
English Meaning - be a member of, be associated with, be connected to (a particular group).

8.ruin (verb)

Hindi Meaning - बर्बाद करना
English Meaning - destroy, impair, spoil.

9.traditionally (verb)

Hindi Meaning - पारंपरिक रूप से, आमतौर पर
English Meaning - typically, normally, commonly, habitually, routinely.

10.linguistic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - भाषा-संबंधी
English Meaning - relating to language; lingual.

11.subnationalism (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उपराष्ट्रवाद
English Meaning - support for a particular region within a nation instead of it for a whole nation.

12.occasionally (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - कभी-कभी, समय-समय पर
English Meaning - sometimes, now and then, from time to time.

13.identity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पहचान
English Meaning - a social category, a set of persons marked by a label and distinguished by rules deciding membership and (alleged) characteristic features or attributes; individuality, character, originality.

14.antagonistic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विरोधी, शत्रुतापूर्ण
English Meaning - hostile, inimical, opposed.

15.propaganda (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रचार करना
English Meaning - the (deliberate & systemic) spreading of information (facts, ideas, rumours or lies) to influence public opinion.

16.down south (phrase)

English Meaning - in the south side of a country.

17.cite (verb)

English Meaning - refer to, make reference to, mention, point to.

18.pave the way for (phrase)

English Meaning - clear the way for, make preparations for, put things in order for.

19.engagement (noun)

English Meaning - association, involvement, participation.

20.terms of engagement (noun)

English Meaning - the rules or conditions that people should obey when they deal with each other.

21.reckon with (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - take into account, take into consideration, think about, believe; deal/cope with.

22.a force to reckon with (phrase)

English Meaning - a person/thing with strong abilities and strengths cannot be ignored/underrated.

23.placate (verb)

English Meaning - appease, calm, pacify.

24.lest (conjunction)

English Meaning - in case, just in case.

25.pitch (verb)

English Meaning - words used to try to convince someone to accept something.

26.bid (noun)

English Meaning - attempt, effort, endeavour/try.

27.drive (verb)

English Meaning - prompt, urge, move, push, propel.

28.subtext (noun)

English Meaning - implicit/indirect meaning; hidden agenda; (underlying) connotation, association, hint, implication; undertone.

29.surface (verb)

English Meaning - emerge, appear, arise, come up.

30.dynamics (noun)

English Meaning - basic/fundamental cause or force that triggers change within a system.

31.identity politics (plural noun)

English Meaning - it is also called as identitarian politics, refers to political positions based on the interests and perspectives of social groups with which people identify. Identity politics is when people of a particular race, ethnicity, gender, or religion form alliances and organize politically to defend their group’s interests.

32.overwhelm (verb)

English Meaning - affect, disturb, shake, devastate, blow away.

33.advance (verb)

English Meaning - promote, further, strengthen, improve, foster; make progress, make headway.

34.extent (noun)

English Meaning - degree, range, level.

35.deeply (adverb)

English Meaning - seriously, intensely, strongly.

36.divisive (adjective)

English Meaning - alienating/isolating, disharmonious, discordant.

37.campaign (noun)

English Meaning - an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making progress within a specific group.

38.hijab (noun)

English Meaning - a head covering, generally a veil or a scarf, worn in public by some Muslim women.

39.inter- (prefix)

English Meaning - between.

40.inter-faith (adjective)

English Meaning - between different religions; relating to members of different religions.

41.distortion (noun)

English Meaning - misrepresentation, falsification, misreporting, misstatement, manipulation.

42.paint (verb)

English Meaning - portray, depict, represent.

43.despot (noun)

English Meaning - dictator, absolute ruler, tyrant, totalitarian, authoritarian, autocrat.

44.counterproductive (adjective)

English Meaning - harmful, damaging, dangerous/destructive.

45.Islamist (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to Islamic fundamentalism.

46.ammunition (noun)

English Meaning - points, considerations, pointers, material, information, evidence, testimony, facts, data, input (that can be used in support of one’s situation in an argument/debate).

47.ground game (noun)

English Meaning - the part of a political campaign that focuses on grassroots activity. it involves to go into communities; knocking on doors to meet with constituents (voters), staging rallies, addressing various interest groups, calling homes, establishing field offices and other similar activities.

48.will (noun)

English Meaning - will power, determination, firmness of purpose, resolve, commitment.

49.spirited (adjective)

English Meaning - vibrant, energetic, vigorous, dynamic, courageous, resolute, determined, bold.

50.ripple effect/domino effect/knock-on effect (noun)

English Meaning - an event (or a process/action) that causes several other events to happen indirectly one after the other; secondary/indirect effect, consequence/implication, chain of events.

51.face to face with someone (phrase)

English Meaning - in or into direct contest; compete/confront/challenge someone directly.

52.neutralise (verb)

English Meaning - eliminate, cancel out, invalidate; counteract, counterbalance.

53.on the other hand (phrase)

English Meaning - as an alternative, as another option.

54.leave no stone unturned (phrase)

English Meaning - to do every (single) thing possible in order to achieve something; not give up, be persistent, be determined.

55.toxic (adjective)

English Meaning - venomous, destructive, harmful; poisonous, dangerous, injurious.

56.civil (adjective)

English Meaning - polite, courteous, well mannered.

57.adherence (noun)

English Meaning - allegiance, commitment, faithfulness, obedience.

58.model code of conduct (MCC) (noun)

English Meaning - a set of guidelines meant for political parties, candidates and governments to adhere to during an election.