Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Ordinary men: On the Aam Aadmi Party’s Hindu politics

Ordinary men: On the Aam Aadmi Party’s Hindu politics

The Aam Aadmi Party is failing in its efforts to be all things to all people

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is trying to expand its footprint (पदचिह्न, प्रभाव) beyond its cradle of Delhi. It is also seeking (मांगना, लक्ष्य करें, प्रयास करें) to capitalise on its success in Punjab, where it formed a government earlier this year, and which boosted that ambition. The party is now eyeing (look at (with interest), see, observe, view, keep watch on, keep an eye on) Gujarat, where the contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress went down to the wire (relating to a situation whose result is unpredictable till the very last moment) in 2017, and elections are due (expected, anticipated, scheduled for) later this year. AAP supremo (very important person, leading light (with great authority)) Arvind Kejriwal is spending a lot of time in the State in the hope of displacing the Congress to emerge as the prime challenger to the BJP, which has been in power since the 1990s. The BJP faces significant anti-incumbency (विरोधी लहर) though the Hindutva sauce (something that is more interesting and exciting) that it dishes out generously (उदारता, बड़े पैमाने पर, बहुतायत से) made it more palatable (स्वादिष्ट, स्वीकार्य) than the Congress all this while (इस समय के दौरान, पूरे समय). Mr. Kejriwal has an expanding catalogue (सूची, चीजों की एक श्रृंखला) of promises for Gujaratis. He has now promised a fully paid pilgrimage (तीर्थ यात्रा, धार्मिक यात्रा) for Gujaratis, mainly senior citizens, to Ayodhya, after being labelled (term, call, name, identify, classify) by the BJP as ‘anti-Hindu’. Mr. Kejriwal has never lost an opportunity to wear his Hindu credentials (identities, qualities; achievement, experience, knowledge) on his sleeve, but suddenly found himself on the back foot after Rajendra Pal Gautam, a Minister in AAP’s Delhi government — he has since resigned — took part in a gathering of Ambedkarites recently, where they had pledged (प्रतिज्ञा करना, वचन देना) to disown (अस्वीकार करना, इनकार करना) Hindu religion and its deities. Mr. Kejriwal gave the Dalit leader his marching orders (an order to leave a place, a job, etc).

The expulsion (निष्कासन, बहिष्कार) of the Dalit leader from the AAP Council of Ministers (मंत्रिपरिषद) in Delhi is in contrast with the complete backing (समर्थन, संरक्षण, मार्गदर्शन) that Mr. Kejriwal continues to offer another Minister who remains in office while being in jail on corruption charges. Therein (in that respect) lies the fundamental challenge to AAP’s national plan. The party had fashioned (build, make, create, construct, form, shape, forge) itself as an anti-corruption platform that offered good governance (शासन), transparency (पारदर्शिता, स्पष्टता) and accountability (responsibility, liability, answerability). Devoid of (without, lacking, deprived of) any organisational structure (system, scheme, plan, framework) or political programme, AAP had adopted an all-embracing (complete, comprehensive, thorough, all-inclusive) welfarism (the principles/policies of a welfare state) to entice (attract, win, capture, obtain, lure, invite) voters. As time passes, this politics, projected as ideology-free, is unravelling (fall apart, fail, collapse, go wrong), though its potency (strength, efficacy, powerfulness, vigour, spirit) still remains a major threat to both the Congress and the BJP. These two parties are targeting AAP on its governance record, corruption, and capacity (potentiality, capability, potential, ability). Central agencies (the central agencies are organizations in the executive branch that co-ordinate the activities of, and provide guidance to the operating ministries and agencies; e.g. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Income Tax Department (IT) and etc) and the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi are methodically (systematically) cornering (gain control of, gain dominance of, take over, control, dominate) the Aam Aadmi Party. Mr. Kejriwal has been brazening it out until now, but the barb (an intentionally painful remark/comment; insult, sneer, jibe, cutting remark, affront, rebuff) of being ‘anti-Hindu’ appears to have shaken (upset, distress, disturb, unsettle) him. He has been wearing an Ambedkar badge alongside a Hindutva label, but the attempt to be all things to all people was never going to be sustainable (defensible, justifiable, defendable, supportable, acceptable). AAP’s capacity to be a radical (revolutionary, progressive, forward-looking, reforming, liberal) platform for change or a challenge to divisive (alienating/isolating, disharmonious, discordant) forces is faltering with its shaky (faltering, unsteady, uncertain, unreliable, untrustworthy, questionable, dubious, doubtful, tenuous, unsubstantial, weak, undependable, unsupported) governance record, subservience (conformity, submission, compliance, obedience) to Hindutva and brazen (blatant/flagrant; bold and shameless; unashamed, unabashed, unembarrassed) resistance to scrutiny (examination, inspection, investigation).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.footprint (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पदचिह्न, प्रभाव
English Meaning - impression, effect, impact; the area taken control by someone/something.

2.seek (verb)

Hindi Meaning - मांगना, लक्ष्य करें, प्रयास करें
English Meaning - try to obtain, aim, attempt.

3.anti-incumbency (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विरोधी लहर
English Meaning - a situation which is against elected officials currently in power; discontent against ruling government/ party in power.

4.generously (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - उदारता, बड़े पैमाने पर, बहुतायत से
English Meaning - largely, amply, abundantly.

5.palatable (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - स्वादिष्ट, स्वीकार्य
English Meaning - acceptable, satisfactory, pleasing, agreeable.

6.all this while (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - इस समय के दौरान, पूरे समय
English Meaning - during this time.

7.catalogue (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सूची, चीजों की एक श्रृंखला
English Meaning - a series of things; a total list of items.

8.pilgrimage (noun)

Hindi Meaning - तीर्थ यात्रा, धार्मिक यात्रा
English Meaning - religious journey, holy expedition, excursion.

9.pledge (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिज्ञा करना, वचन देना
English Meaning - promise, undertake, vow, commit, assure, agree, guarantee.

10.disown (verb)

Hindi Meaning - अस्वीकार करना, इनकार करना
English Meaning - abandon, denounce, deny, reject.

11.expulsion (noun)

Hindi Meaning - निष्कासन, बहिष्कार
English Meaning - removal, elimination, rejection, ejection.

12.the Council of Ministers (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मंत्रिपरिषद
English Meaning - the supreme executive organ in a government. The term is usually equivalent to the word “cabinet”.

13.backing (noun)

Hindi Meaning - समर्थन, संरक्षण, मार्गदर्शन
English Meaning - protection, guidance, support.

14.governance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - शासन
English Meaning - the act of governing something; administration.

15.transparency (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पारदर्शिता, स्पष्टता
English Meaning - clarity, straightforwardness, openness, honesty, unambiguity.

16.be all things to all people (phrase)

English Meaning - If you try to be all things to all people, you make an effort to do things that will make happy everyone.

17.cradle (noun)

English Meaning - place of origin.

18.capitalise on (verb)

English Meaning - take advantage of, make the most of, cash in on, exploit, benefit from.

19.eye (verb)

English Meaning - look at (with interest), see, observe, view, keep watch on, keep an eye on.

20.down to the wire (phrase)

English Meaning - relating to a situation whose result is unpredictable till the very last moment.

21.due (adjective)

English Meaning - expected, anticipated, scheduled for.

22.supremo (noun)

English Meaning - very important person, leading light (with great authority).

23.in the hope of (phrase)

English Meaning - with the interest/desire of; with the expectation of.

24.sauce (noun)

English Meaning - something that is more interesting and exciting.

25.dish out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - dispense or provide casually.

26.label (verb)

English Meaning - term, call, name, identify, classify.

27.wear one’s (heart) on one’s sleeve (phrase)

English Meaning - make one’s feelings/activities apparent.

28.credentials (noun)

English Meaning - identities, qualities; achievement, experience, knowledge.

29.find oneself (phrase)

English Meaning - to realize and accept what you are really like and what you want to do in life; accept one’s situation.

30.on the back foot (phrase)

English Meaning - in a defensive position, off balance, at a disadvantage.

31.marching order (noun)

English Meaning - an order to leave a place, a job, etc.

32.in contrast with (phrase)

English Meaning - as against, as an alternative to, as opposed to.

33.therein (adverb)

English Meaning - in that respect.

34.lie (verb)

English Meaning - be present, exist.

35.fashion (verb)

English Meaning - build, make, create, construct, form, shape, forge.

36.accountability (noun)

English Meaning - responsibility, liability, answerability.

37.devoid of (adjective)

English Meaning - without, lacking, deprived of.

38.structure (noun)

English Meaning - system, scheme, plan, framework.

39.all-embracing (adjective)

English Meaning - complete, comprehensive, thorough, all-inclusive.

40.welfarism (noun)

English Meaning - the principles/policies of a welfare state.

41.entice (verb)

English Meaning - attract, win, capture, obtain, lure, invite.

42.ideology (noun)

English Meaning - a system of belief, set of principles.

43.unravel (verb)

English Meaning - fall apart, fail, collapse, go wrong.

44.potency (noun)

English Meaning - strength, efficacy, powerfulness, vigour, spirit.

45.capacity (noun)

English Meaning - potentiality, capability, potential, ability.

46.central agencies (plural noun)

English Meaning - the central agencies are organizations in the executive branch that co-ordinate the activities of, and provide guidance to the operating ministries and agencies; e.g. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Income Tax Department (IT) and etc.

47.methodically (adverb)

English Meaning - systematically.

48.corner (verb)

English Meaning - gain control of, gain dominance of, take over, control, dominate.

49.brazen (it) out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to act or behave confidently & shamelessly (even after doing something wrong & also by not admitting that); put a bold face on it, be defiant, be unashamed.

50.barb (noun)

English Meaning - an intentionally painful remark/comment; insult, sneer, jibe, cutting remark, affront, rebuff.

51.shake (verb)

English Meaning - upset, distress, disturb, unsettle.

52.sustainable (adjective)

English Meaning - defensible, justifiable, defendable, supportable, acceptable.

53.radical (adjective)

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

54.divisive (adjective)

English Meaning - alienating/isolating, disharmonious, discordant.

55.falter (verb)

English Meaning - oscillate, fluctuate, change one’s mind, be undecided, be irresolute.

56.shaky (adjective)

English Meaning - faltering, unsteady, uncertain, unreliable, untrustworthy, questionable, dubious, doubtful, tenuous, unsubstantial, weak, undependable, unsupported.

57.subservience (noun)

English Meaning - conformity, submission, compliance, obedience.

58.brazen (adjective)

English Meaning - blatant/flagrant; bold and shameless; unashamed, unabashed, unembarrassed.

59.resistance (noun)

English Meaning - opposition, defiant; refusal to accept, unwillingness to accept.

60.scrutiny (noun)

English Meaning - examination, inspection, investigation.