Hindi English Translation || Editorial || High office: On the Opposition and presidential polls

High office: On the Opposition and presidential polls

The Opposition did not use the presidential election to counter (विरोध करना, सामना करना) the BJP’s narrative

The BJP has stolen a march over the Opposition by naming Droupadi Murmu as its candidate for President. With the support of BJP allies and regional parties such as Odisha’s BJD and Andhra Pradesh’s YSRCP, she is poised (get into position, be prepared to do something) to win and become the first from a tribal community to occupy (पर कब्जा, स्थान लेना) the highest office (उच्च पद, एक महत्वपूर्ण पद) of the Republic (गणतंत्र). The significance (महत्व, अर्थ, संदेश) of her elevation (ऊँचाई, पदोन्नति, वृद्धि) is particularly pronounced (उच्चारण, ध्यान देने योग्य, चिह्नित) in the 75th year of India’s independence. A tribal woman succeeding (सफल होना, प्राप्त करना) a Dalit in the highest office of the country is a remarkable (उल्लेखनीय, उत्कृष्ट, असाधारण) testimony (गवाही, सबूत) to the deepening (गहरा, मजबूत करना, बढ़ावा देना) of Indian democracy, notwithstanding (despite, in the line of, regardless of) the disturbing (परेशान, अशांत, निराशाजनक) signs of the mobilisation (the act of bringing forces/people/resources together for a particular cause) of subaltern (relating to the lower status/ranking (people) in a social or political hierarchy) communities for majoritarian (बहुसंख्यकों) politics. Ms. Murmu will be the second woman to hold (occupy a position) the highest office, after Pratibha Patil, and at 64, she will be the youngest President in the country’s history. From Mayurbhanj in Odisha, part of the region that houses a vast majority of India’s aboriginal (आदिवासी, प्राचीन, आदिकालीन) population, Ms. Murmu was a teacher, and joined the BJP in 1997. She was a Minister in Odisha and the Governor of Jharkhand between 2015 and 2021. Her nomination (appointment, selection, choice, recommendation, naming, proposal) by the BJP for the highest office of the country signifies (point to, indicate, imply) the party’s sustained (continuous, constant, relentless, persistent) efforts to incorporate tribal communities politically and culturally. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal signature (a distinctive quality/trait by which someone can be recognized) on the decision is unmistakable (definite, obvious, evident, well defined) and is in line with (in alignment with; in accordance with) his relentless (constant, continuous, non-stop, unceasing) efforts to expand the BJP’s social base (a group of people considered as supporting an organization/party)  wide and far (everywhere, here, worldwide, and everywhere, far and near).

With numbers tilted (change) in the BJP’s favour, the Opposition could have only used the contest for the highest office as an opportunity for political messaging (the process of campaigning/promoting your ideas directly/indirectly). The joint candidate of the Opposition parties, Yashwant Sinha — a former BJP leader and Union Minister in the Janata Dal and BJP governments — hardly (barely, almost not) serves that purpose. For all his track record (history, background, (previous) performance, accomplishments, achievements), Mr. Sinha hardly represents anything political. That he turned into a strong critic (criticizer, censurer, castigator, fault-finder) of Mr. Modi after being ignored for positions, if anything (on the contrary even), weakens any claim (assertion, affirmation, avowal) of his candidacy (the state/condition/fact of being a candidate, particularly in an election; candidate-ship)  being an ideological (relating to a system of ideas (ideology)) counter (an answer to something; a factor used to give someone an advantage) to the BJP. The lack (absence, deficiency, unavailability, non-existence) of imagination, initiative and capacity for any radical (revolutionary, progressive, forward-looking, reforming, liberal) politics in the Opposition comes across (seem, appear, look, give the impression of being; be perceived, get through, be understood, be comprehended, be taken in) starkly (clearly, distinctly, strikingly) in the selection of the candidate. While Mr. Modi uses every election as an opportunity to respond to group aspirations of various communities, the Opposition remains adrift (lost, off track, disoriented/confused) and ensconced (settled, lodged, positioned, entrenched, sheltered (in a safe place)) in cocoons (place of safety; place of shelter; protection, shield, cover). That Mr. Sinha comes from a tribal State, Jharkhand, makes the optics (the way in which something (political action/situation) is recognized by the general public) of this contest even more damaging for the Opposition. The Opposition is right to point out that the BJP did not make any serious effort to field (nominate, recommend or propose a candidate to stand in an election) a consensus (an idea or opinion that is shared by all the people in a group, agreement, concurrence) candidate. But excusing (deliberately ignore, not take into consideration, disregard, take no notice of, let go) its own limitations by blaming the BJP is self-defeating (futile, pointless, useless). This turned out to be yet another missed opportunity for the Opposition to construct a counter narrative to the BJP, which is inclusive (all-inclusive, comprehensive, in toto; including all the groups involved in something) in its messaging in instances such as (for example, of a kind, like that) this, while not giving up its pursuit (quest, search, aspiration; activity) of an exclusivist (relating to the doctrine/belief that only one particular belief or system is true) politics.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.high office (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उच्च पद, एक महत्वपूर्ण पद
English Meaning - an important position.

2.counter (verb)

Hindi Meaning - विरोध करना, सामना करना
English Meaning - oppose, resist, tackle, confront, stand up to.

3.ally (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मित्र, साथी
English Meaning - supporter, defender, protector.

4.occupy (verb)

Hindi Meaning - पर कब्जा, स्थान लेना
English Meaning - hold a position.

5.republic (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गणतंत्र
English Meaning - a group of people involved in a particular activity with certain equality; “The Republic” is a form of government in which a state (country) is ruled by elected representatives of the people (citizen body).

6.significance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - महत्व, अर्थ, संदेश
English Meaning - importance; meaning, signification, message, essence, relevance.

7.elevation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - ऊँचाई, पदोन्नति, वृद्धि
English Meaning - promotion, rise.

8.pronounced (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - उच्चारण, ध्यान देने योग्य, चिह्नित
English Meaning - noticeable, marked, strong, conspicuous, striking, distinct, prominent, notable, recognizable.

9.succeed (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सफल होना, प्राप्त करना
English Meaning - take over from, come after, follow (a position from).

10.remarkable (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - उल्लेखनीय, उत्कृष्ट, असाधारण
English Meaning - outstanding, exceptional, extraordinary.

11.testimony (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गवाही, सबूत
English Meaning - evidence, proof, attestation/witness.

12.deepen (verb)

Hindi Meaning - गहरा, मजबूत करना, बढ़ावा देना
English Meaning - strengthen, reinforce, augment, encourage, boost.

13.disturbing (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - परेशान, अशांत, निराशाजनक
English Meaning - worrying, discomfiting, unsettling, troubling, annoying.

14.majoritarian (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - बहुसंख्यकों
English Meaning - relating to a philosophy that states that a majority (sometimes categorized by religion, language, social class, or some other identifying factor) of the population is entitled to a certain degree of primacy (priority) in society, and has the right to make decisions that affect the society.

15.aboriginal (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - आदिवासी, प्राचीन, आदिकालीन
English Meaning - native, original, ancient, primeval.

16.narrative (noun)

English Meaning - a representation of a particular situation; portrayal, portrait.

17.steal a march on (phrase)

English Meaning - prevent, block, thwart, obstruct, hinder.

18.name (verb)

English Meaning - choose, select, pick, nominate.

19.poise (verb)

English Meaning - get into position, be prepared to do something.

20.notwithstanding (phrase)

English Meaning - despite, in the line of, regardless of.

21.mobilisation (noun)

English Meaning - the act of bringing forces/people/resources together for a particular cause.

22.subaltern (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the lower status/ranking (people) in a social or political hierarchy.

23.hold (verb)

English Meaning - occupy a position.

24.nomination (noun)

English Meaning - appointment, selection, choice, recommendation, naming, proposal.

25.signify (verb)

English Meaning - point to, indicate, imply.

26.sustained (adjective)

English Meaning - continuous, constant, relentless, persistent.

27.signature (noun)

English Meaning - a distinctive quality/trait by which someone can be recognized.

28.unmistakable (adjective)

English Meaning - definite, obvious, evident, well defined.

29.in line with (phrase)

English Meaning - in alignment with; in accordance with.

30.relentless (adjective)

English Meaning - constant, continuous, non-stop, unceasing.

31.base (noun)

English Meaning - a group of people considered as supporting an organization/party.

32.wide and far (phrase)

English Meaning - everywhere, here, worldwide, and everywhere, far and near.

33.tilt (verb)

English Meaning - change.

34.in one’s favour (phrase)

English Meaning - to the advantage/benefit of someone; advantageous, beneficial, helpful, suitable.

35.in favour of (phrase)

English Meaning - in support of, to the advantage of.

36.messaging (noun)

English Meaning - the process of campaigning/promoting your ideas directly/indirectly.

37.hardly (adverb)

English Meaning - barely, almost not.

38.serve a purpose (phrase)

English Meaning - have a specific use.

39.track record (noun)

English Meaning - history, background, (previous) performance, accomplishments, achievements.

40.turn into (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - be transformed/changed into.

41.critic (noun)

English Meaning - criticizer, censurer, castigator, fault-finder.

42.if anything (phrase)

English Meaning - on the contrary even.

43.claim (noun)

English Meaning - assertion, affirmation, avowal.

44.candidacy (noun)

English Meaning - the state/condition/fact of being a candidate, particularly in an election; candidate-ship.

45.ideological (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a system of ideas (ideology).

46.counter (noun)

English Meaning - an answer to something; a factor used to give someone an advantage.

47.lack (noun)

English Meaning - absence, deficiency, unavailability, non-existence.

48.radical (adjective)

English Meaning - revolutionary, progressive, forward-looking, reforming, liberal.

49.come across (phrase)

English Meaning - seem, appear, look, give the impression of being; be perceived, get through, be understood, be comprehended, be taken in.

50.starkly (adverb)

English Meaning - clearly, distinctly, strikingly.

51.adrift (adjective)

English Meaning - lost, off track, disoriented/confused.

52.ensconced (adjective)

English Meaning - settled, lodged, positioned, entrenched, sheltered (in a safe place).

53.cocoon (noun)

English Meaning - place of safety; place of shelter; protection, shield, cover.

54.optics (noun)

English Meaning - the way in which something (political action/situation) is recognized by the general public.

55.point out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - identify, draw attention to, indicate, specify, mention.

56.field (verb)

English Meaning - nominate, recommend or propose a candidate to stand in an election.

57.consensus (noun)

English Meaning - an idea or opinion that is shared by all the people in a group, agreement, concurrence.

58.excuse (verb)

English Meaning - deliberately ignore, not take into consideration, disregard, take no notice of, let go.

59.self-defeating (adjective)

English Meaning - futile, pointless, useless.

60.turn out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - transpire, prove to be the case, emerge, happen, occur, come about.

61.inclusive (adjective)

English Meaning - all-inclusive, comprehensive, in toto; including all the groups involved in something.

62.such as (phrase)

English Meaning - for example, of a kind, like that.

63.give up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - stop, discontinue, abandon, renounce.

64.pursuit (noun)

English Meaning - quest, search, aspiration; activity.

65.exclusivist (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the doctrine/belief that only one particular belief or system is true.