Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Mixed messaging: On Amit Shah's three-day visit to J&K

Mixed messaging: On Amit Shah's three-day visit to J&K

The Centre seems unclear (अस्पष्ट, अनिश्चित) about the political process needed for normalcy (सामान्य स्थिति, साधारण अवस्था) in J&K

Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s first visit to Jammu & Kashmir after August 5, 2019 when Parliament diluted (weaken, reduce, quell (the value of something)) Article 370 of the Constitution that granted (अनुदान, प्रदान करना, प्रस्तुत करना) it a “special status” and downgraded (lower in status/rank/importance, demote) and bifurcated (विभाजित करना, अलग करना, दो शाखाओं में बांटना) the State into two Union Territories, took place against the grim (distressing, upsetting, worrying, unpleasant, dismal/awful) background (पृष्ठभूमि, प्रसंग, परिस्थितियाँ) of the killings of 11 civilians (सामान्य नागरिक, असैनिक, गैर-सैन्य व्यक्ति) by terrorists in one month. J&K has been under central rule since June 2018 and the political and parliamentary subterfuge (छल, युक्ति, साज़िश) in reorganising the erstwhile (old, previous, former, then) State still rankles (annoy, upset/irritate; continue to be painful/fester) as a discordant (disagreeing, differing, contradictory) chapter of India’s experiments in federalism. Mr. Shah used the three-day visit to underscore (रेखांकित करना, बल देना, जोर देना) the progress J&K has made since its reorganisation — the uptick (a small increase or upward trend) in tourist inflow (arrival of a large amount of people to a particular place) and the string (series, succession, chain, sequence) of development and welfare (कल्याण, सामाजिक सुरक्षा, सरकार/राज्य लाभ) projects. As for the stringent (strict, severe, extreme, rigorous) curbs (प्रतिबंध, नियंत्रण, सीमा) that the people have had to endure (undergo, go through, experience, encounter; tolerate/accept) meanwhile, Mr. Shah said those were bitter pills that helped save lives. Through a series of public engagements and official functions in Jammu and the Valley (घाटी, दर्रा, दो पहाड़ो के बीच की जगह), the Home Minister’s single-minded (determined, resolute, fixed, set, purposeful) focus was on reiterating (बारम्बार दुहराना, फिर से कहना) the Bharatiya Janata Party’s political narrative (a representation of a particular situation; portrayal/account) on Kashmir. He said “three families” had held J&K to ransom until the party came to its rescue (बचाव, सहायता करना). Whether or not politics in J&K has been any more or less corrupt than other parts of the country is anyone’s guess (very difficult to predict), but it is a matter of fact that the former State had a poverty rate of 10.35% against the national average of of 21.92%.

The Centre has been successful in removing the question of independence or even autonomy from the conversation on Kashmir. But to pretend (act like, make believe, behave (like something is true even it is not); to give false appearance, fake) that there is no political question in Kashmir to be discussed or resolved is reckless. Besides (in addition to, as well, apart from) trying to systematically delegitimise (reverse/withdraw legitimate status of something) the mainstream (accepted, established, recognized, prevailing, popular) parties, the BJP policy also sought to build an entirely new political apparatus (structure, system, framework, organization) in the Union Territory. Mr. Shah ruled out (reject, eliminate, dismiss, disregard; prohibit, prevent) any talks with Pakistan, but said he was willing to talk to the youth of Kashmir. That promise can be meaningful only with immediate action. Now that the Centre has made the restoration of statehood (the condition of being an independent state) as the endgame of an unclear political process, it must establish a mechanism (procedure, process, method, technique) for dialogue with the people. In June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met political leaders from J&K in Delhi but there has been no follow up (continuation) to that since then. On the contrary (conversely), Mr. Shah’s messaging over three days emphasised the divisions between the people of the Valley and Jammu, and berated (criticize or scold or yell at someone angrily; condemn, castigate, rebuke, reprimand vehemently) political leaders. True, he made the right gestures in terms of (with regard to, regarding/concerning, in connection with) visiting victims of recent violence and interactions with locals but that is far from enough. More than 700 people had to be detained (take into custody; imprison, jail, incarcerate) ahead of his visit, which is instructive of the continuing volatility (unpredictability, instability, unreliability) in the Valley. Mr. Shah’s trip is the latest in a series of visits by Union Ministers in recent weeks. While the Centre’s outreach (the level of reaching out/activity/effort; involvement) is indeed (in fact, actually, undeniably) a welcome step, it needs to be more honest and open to be effective.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.unclear (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अस्पष्ट, अनिश्चित
English Meaning - uncertain, undecided; confused.

2.normalcy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सामान्य स्थिति, साधारण अवस्था
English Meaning - a normal condition; normality, regularity.

3.Article 370 of Indian Constitution (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भारतीय संविधान का अनुच्छेद 370
English Meaning - It had “temporary provisions with respect to the State of Jammu and Kashmir” which gave special powers to the state. The article allowed the state a certain amount of autonomyHindi Meaning - English Meaning - its own constitution, a separate flag and freedom to make laws. Foreign affairs, defence and communications remained the preserve (domain) of the central government. It also allowed Jammu and Kashmir to make its own rules relating to permanent residency, ownership of property and fundamental rights. It did also bar Indians from outside the state from purchasing property or settling there.

4.grant (verb)

Hindi Meaning - अनुदान, प्रदान करना, प्रस्तुत करना
English Meaning - bestow on, confer on, give, impart to, present with.

5.bifurcate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - विभाजित करना, अलग करना, दो शाखाओं में बांटना
English Meaning - split, divide, separate.

6.background (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पृष्ठभूमि, प्रसंग, परिस्थितियाँ
English Meaning - circumstances, context, conditions, situation.

7.civilian (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सामान्य नागरिक, असैनिक, गैर-सैन्य व्यक्ति
English Meaning - non-military person, ordinary citizen.

8.subterfuge (noun)

Hindi Meaning - छल, युक्ति, साज़िश
English Meaning - deception, trickery, tactic, cunning (action), intrigue, skullduggery, dishonesty (to achieve one’s aim/objective).

9.underscore (verb)

Hindi Meaning - रेखांकित करना, बल देना, जोर देना
English Meaning - underline, emphasize, highlight.

10.welfare (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कल्याण, सामाजिक सुरक्षा, सरकार/राज्य लाभ
English Meaning - social security, government/state benefit, public assistance.

11.curb (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिबंध, नियंत्रण, सीमा
English Meaning - restriction, check, control, limitation, restraint, constraint.

12.valley (noun)

Hindi Meaning - घाटी, दर्रा, दो पहाड़ो के बीच की जगह
English Meaning - a low area between hills or mountains typically with a river running through it.

13.reiterate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - बारम्बार दुहराना, फिर से कहना
English Meaning - repeat, say again, restate.

14.rescue (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बचाव, सहायता करना
English Meaning - saving; help, assist, aid.

15.as a matter of fact (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - दरअसल में, वास्तव में
English Meaning - actually, in fact, really/truly.

16.dilute (verb)

English Meaning - weaken, reduce, quell (the value of something).

17.mixed message (noun)

English Meaning - any communication that is contradictory, inconsistent, or unclear, particularly in its purpose/intention.

18.downgrade (verb)

English Meaning - lower in status/rank/importance, demote.

19.grim (adjective)

English Meaning - distressing, upsetting, worrying, unpleasant, dismal/awful.

20.erstwhile (adjective)

English Meaning - old, previous, former, then.

21.rankle (verb)

English Meaning - annoy, upset/irritate; continue to be painful/fester.

22.discordant (adjective)

English Meaning - disagreeing, differing, contradictory.

23.federalism/federal framework/system (noun)

English Meaning - a system of government in which establishments such as states or provinces share power with a national government.

24.uptick (noun)

English Meaning - a small increase or upward trend.

25.inflow (noun)

English Meaning - arrival of a large amount of people to a particular place.

26.string (noun)

English Meaning - series, succession, chain, sequence.

27.stringent (adjective)

English Meaning - strict, severe, extreme, rigorous.

28.endure (verb)

English Meaning - undergo, go through, experience, encounter; tolerate/accept.

29.single-minded (adjective)

English Meaning - determined, resolute, fixed, set, purposeful.

30.narrative (noun)

English Meaning - a representation of a particular situation; portrayal/account.

31.hold someone to ransom (phrase)

English Meaning - threaten, force, demand.

32.anyone’s guess (phrase)

English Meaning - very difficult to predict.

33.autonomy (noun)

English Meaning - independence, freedom; self-rule, sovereignty.

34.pretend (verb)

English Meaning - act like, make believe, behave (like something is true even it is not); to give false appearance, fake.

35.reckless (adjective)

English Meaning - careless, thoughtless, incautious, heedless.

36.besides (preposition/linking adverb)

English Meaning - in addition to, as well, apart from.

37.systematically (adverb)

English Meaning - methodically.

38.delegitimise (verb)

English Meaning - reverse/withdraw legitimate status of something.

39.mainstream (adjective)

English Meaning - accepted, established, recognized, prevailing, popular.

40.seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, aim, attempt.

41.apparatus (noun)

English Meaning - structure, system, framework, organization.

42.rule out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - reject, eliminate, dismiss, disregard; prohibit, prevent.

43.restoration (noun)

English Meaning - reinstitution, re-establishment, reinstallation, revival.

44.statehood (noun)

English Meaning - the condition of being an independent state.

45.mechanism (noun)

English Meaning - procedure, process, method, technique.

46.follow up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - continuation.

47.on the contrary (phrase)

English Meaning - conversely.

48.emphasise (verb)

English Meaning - put stress on, underscore, highlight.

49.berate (verb)

English Meaning - criticize or scold or yell at someone angrily; condemn, castigate, rebuke, reprimand vehemently.

50.gesture (noun)

English Meaning - action, deed, move.

51.in terms of (phrase)

English Meaning - with regard to, regarding/concerning, in connection with.

52.far from (phrase)

English Meaning - not, not at all.

53.detain (verb)

English Meaning - take into custody; imprison, jail, incarcerate.

54.instructive (adjective)

English Meaning - informative, instructional, informational, explanatory, telling, revealing; good example, case study.

55.volatility (noun)

English Meaning - unpredictability, instability, unreliability.

56.outreach (noun)

English Meaning - the level of reaching out/activity/effort; involvement.

57.indeed (adverb)

English Meaning - in fact, actually, undeniably.