Hindi English Translation || Editorial || New hopes: on the new Vice-President of India and parliamentary democracy

New hopes: on the new Vice-President of India and parliamentary democracy

The Vice-President should forge (बनाना, स्थापित करना, रूप देना) better ties (संबंध, बंधन) between the Opposition and the executive (कार्यकारी)

Jagdeep Dhankhar will take oath (to make a formal, binding promise (to do something)) as the 14th Vice-President of the country on Thursday, a day after the term (कार्यकाल, अवधि, समय) of the incumbent (निर्भर, वर्तमान, अनिवार्य) Vice-President, M. Venkaiah Naidu, ends. As the candidate of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), he secured (सुरक्षित करना, प्राप्त करना) 528 votes of the 710 valid votes in the election held on Saturday. The Opposition candidate and Congress leader, Margaret Alva, got 182 votes, with the Trinamool Congress abstaining (not vote, decline to vote, refuse to vote (formally)). Mr. Dhankhar’s election was a foregone conclusion (predictable result, predictable outcome, inevitability), as the NDA had a clear majority in the electoral college (it is a group of people that elects the president and the vice president. (The word “college” in this case simply refers to an organized body of people engaged in a common task)), which was further reinforced (मज़बूत करना, सहारा देना) by the support of the Biju Janata Dal and the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). Mr. Dhankhar, a Jat leader from Rajasthan, has had stints (spell, period, time, turn, term) in Delhi and the State, in the Janata Dal and the Congress, before he shifted to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2003. His appointment as the Governor of West Bengal catapulted (spur, drive, prompt, motivate, force, impel) him into the national limelight (the focus of attention, public attention, public notice) even as the BJP fought a pitched battle (घोर युद्ध) against the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to take over (कब्जा, नियंत्रण करना, कार्यभार संभालना) the reins (controlling power. (In general, rein is the long leather strap(s) attached to a horse’s head (usually on either sides), by which the rider controls a horse)) of the State. A lawyer by training, he never pulled his punches, and combined political rhetoric (bombast, loftiness, hyperbole/extravagant language) and legal reasoning (तर्क, विचार) in frequent run-ins (झगड़ा, लड़ाई, असहमति) with the West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC. He faced charges (आरोप, शुल्क, दावा) of partisanship (पक्षपात, पूर्वाग्रह), but it all ended with the TMC mending fences (be friends again, bury the hatchet, settle differences) with him ahead of his election as Vice-President; it obliquely (indirectly, not in a direct way) supported him by abstaining from the polls. The TMC accused (blame, criticize, denounce, condemn, charge) the Congress of not consulting it on Ms. Alva’s nomination (appointment, selection, choice, recommendation, naming, proposal) but that claim (allegation) is unconvincing (unrealistic, feeble, weak, unsatisfactory, ineffectual, questionable, improbable, unlikely), and the entire episode (a group of events; incident, event, affair, occurrence) has exposed (uncover, reveal, show, display, exhibit, disclose, manifest, unveil, unmask) the chinks in the Opposition armour. The help that he got from the TMC added a slice (part, portion) of intrigue (schemes, plots, tricks, tactics, plans) to what was otherwise a predictable victory.

The Vice-President is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, a critical role anytime, and more so (of the same type of something to a greater extent) in the present situation of extreme hostility (enmity, bitterness, rancour, resentment) between the Government and the Opposition. Parliamentary proceedings (events, activities, business, affairs, happenings) have been continuously stalled (obstruct, impede, hinder, hamper, block, interrupt, thwart, inhibit, hamstring, sabotage, restrain), Members of Parliament have been suspended (remove, eliminate, expel, evict) and there has been a complete breakdown (failure, collapse, disintegration) of communication between the ruling BJP and the Opposition parties. The Government has repeatedly (frequently, often, many times) bypassed (circumvent, avoid, dodge, escape, sidestep) the Rajya Sabha in the making (burgeoning, developing, growing, up and coming) of critical laws by arbitrarily (randomly/casually, irrationally, erratically, inconsistently, unreasonably, illogically) classifying (characterize, label, brand, categorize) pieces of legislation (body of laws, acts, rules, regulations, statutes) as money Bills (The Bill deals with issues such as receipt and spending of money, such as tax laws, laws governing borrowing and expenditure of the government, prevention of black money etc. Under India’s constitutional design, money bill requires only the Lok Sabha’s affirmation/approval (bypassing Rajya Sabha’s affirmation/approval) only for it to turn into law). The question is now before the Supreme Court. As Vice-President, Mr. Dhankhar will be expected to facilitate (make easy, make possible, clear the way for, open the door for; enable, assist, help) better relations between the ruling party and the Opposition parties and uphold (पकड़ना, रोकना) the majesty (dignity, nobleness, grandness) and the constitutional (relating to something as per the Constitution; legal, lawful, legitimate) role of the House. It is not an easy task in the current scenario (situation, backdrop, context), but his initial moves (step, action, act, measure, tactic) will be eagerly awaited (wait for, expect, look for) by everyone invested in parliamentary democracy (संसदीय लोकतंत्र). Mr. Dhankhar’s elevation (promotion, rise) as Vice-President will certainly (surely, definitely, unquestionably) help the BJP politically. His role as Chairman should be more to protect the Opposition’s space (freedom, scope, liberty, room to manoeuvre, freedom of action, freedom from restriction), debates and ensure accountability (responsibility, liability, answerability) of the executive. The inauguration (the formal admission of someone to the office; introduction, formation, beginning (of something)) of the new Vice-President should renew hopes for parliamentary democracy.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.parliamentary democracy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संसदीय लोकतंत्र
English Meaning - a system of government in which citizens elect representatives to a legislative parliament to make the necessary laws and decisions for the country.

2.forge (verb)

Hindi Meaning - बनाना, स्थापित करना, रूप देना
English Meaning - form, create, establish, set up.

3.ties (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संबंध, बंधन
English Meaning - association, relationship, bond, connection.

4.the executive (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्यकारी
English Meaning - the executive is a branch of government which enforces the law as written by the legislature and interpreted by the judiciary.

5.term (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्यकाल, अवधि, समय
English Meaning - period, time, spell, stint.

6.incumbent (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - निर्भर, वर्तमान, अनिवार्य
English Meaning - (of an official) current, existing, present.

7.secure (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सुरक्षित करना, प्राप्त करना
English Meaning - receive, be given, get, gain, obtain.

8.hold (verb)

Hindi Meaning - पकड़ना, रोकना
English Meaning - conduct, organize.

9.reinforce (verb)

Hindi Meaning - मज़बूत करना, सहारा देना
English Meaning - strengthen, support, make stronger, bolster, buttress.

10.pitched battle (noun)

Hindi Meaning - घोर युद्ध
English Meaning - a violent fight/clash comprising large numbers of people.

11.take over (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - कब्जा, नियंत्रण करना, कार्यभार संभालना
English Meaning - take control of, take charge of, assume responsibility for.

12.reasoning (noun)

Hindi Meaning - तर्क, विचार
English Meaning - reasons, rationale, arguments, premises; interpretation, explanation.

13.run-in (noun)

Hindi Meaning - झगड़ा, लड़ाई, असहमति
English Meaning - fight, quarrel, disagreement, argument, dispute, difference of opinion.

14.charge (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आरोप, शुल्क, दावा
English Meaning - accusation, allegation, claim.

15.partisanship (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पक्षपात, पूर्वाग्रह
English Meaning - prejudice, bias, partiality, sectarianism, discrimination, unfairness, injustice.

16.take a oath (phrase)

English Meaning - to make a formal, binding promise (to do something).

17.abstain (verb)

English Meaning - not vote, decline to vote, refuse to vote (formally).

18.a foregone conclusion (phrase)

English Meaning - predictable result, predictable outcome, inevitability.

19.The Electoral College (noun)

English Meaning - it is a group of people that elects the president and the vice president. (The word “college” in this case simply refers to an organized body of people engaged in a common task).

20.stint (noun)

English Meaning - spell, period, time, turn, term.

21.catapult (verb)

English Meaning - spur, drive, prompt, motivate, force, impel.

22.limelight (noun)

English Meaning - the focus of attention, public attention, public notice.

23.reins (noun)

English Meaning - controlling power. (In general, rein is the long leather strap(s) attached to a horse’s head (usually on either sides), by which the rider controls a horse).

24.pull one’s punches (phrase)

English Meaning - be less forceful/severe (particularly when criticizing someone).

25.rhetoric (noun)

English Meaning - bombast, loftiness, hyperbole/extravagant language.

26.mend fences (phrase)

English Meaning - be friends again, bury the hatchet, settle differences.

27.obliquely (adverb)

English Meaning - indirectly, not in a direct way.

28.accuse (verb)

English Meaning - blame, criticize, denounce, condemn, charge.

29.nomination (noun)

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

30.claim (noun)

English Meaning - allegation.

31.unconvincing (adjective)

English Meaning - unrealistic, feeble, weak, unsatisfactory, ineffectual, questionable, improbable, unlikely.

32.episode (noun)

English Meaning - a group of events; incident, event, affair, occurrence.

33.expose (verb)

English Meaning - uncover, reveal, show, display, exhibit, disclose, manifest, unveil, unmask.

34.a chink in someone’s armour (phrase)

English Meaning - a weak point/fault in someone’s character, arguments & etc., which can be used to attack/criticize them easily.

35.slice (noun)

English Meaning - part, portion.

36.intrigue (noun)

English Meaning - schemes, plots, tricks, tactics, plans.

37.The Upper House (or) Rajya Sabha (noun)

English Meaning - The Rajya Sabha or the Council of States is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India.

38.The Lower House (or) Lok Sabha (noun)

English Meaning - The Lok Sabha or the House of the People is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of India. (bicameral legislature/parliament means a legislature/parliament having two chambers/houses).

39.more so (phrase)

English Meaning - of the same type of something to a greater extent.

40.hostility (noun)

English Meaning - enmity, bitterness, rancour, resentment.

41.proceeding (noun)

English Meaning - events, activities, business, affairs, happenings.

42.stall (verb)

English Meaning - obstruct, impede, hinder, hamper, block, interrupt, thwart, inhibit, hamstring, sabotage, restrain.

43.suspend (verb)

English Meaning - remove, eliminate, expel, evict.

44.breakdown (noun)

English Meaning - failure, collapse, disintegration.

45.repeatedly (adverb)

English Meaning - frequently, often, many times.

46.bypass (verb)

English Meaning - circumvent, avoid, dodge, escape, sidestep.

47.in the making (phrase)

English Meaning - burgeoning, developing, growing, up and coming.

48.arbitrarily (adverb)

English Meaning - randomly/casually, irrationally, erratically, inconsistently, unreasonably, illogically.

49.classify (verb)

English Meaning - characterize, label, brand, categorize.

50.legislation (noun)

English Meaning - body of laws, acts, rules, regulations, statutes.

51.money bill (noun)

English Meaning - The Bill deals with issues such as receipt and spending of money, such as tax laws, laws governing borrowing and expenditure of the government, prevention of black money etc. Under India’s constitutional design, money bill requires only the Lok Sabha’s affirmation/approval (bypassing Rajya Sabha’s affirmation/approval) only for it to turn into law.

52.Bill (noun)

English Meaning - A Bill is a draft statute that becomes law after it is passed by both the Houses of Parliament and assented to by the President. All legislative proposals are brought before Parliament in the forms of Bills (or) draft statute/law, proposed legislation, proposal (presented to parliament/congress/council for discussion).

53.facilitate (verb)

English Meaning - make easy, make possible, clear the way for, open the door for; enable, assist, help.

54.uphold (verb)

English Meaning - confirm, endorse/approve, vindicate/validate.

55.majesty (noun)

English Meaning - dignity, nobleness, grandness.

56.constitutional (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to something as per the Constitution; legal, lawful, legitimate.

57.scenario (noun)

English Meaning - situation, backdrop, context.

58.move (noun)

English Meaning - step, action, act, measure, tactic.