Hindi English Translation || Editorial || ​Past as a prelude: On the Nagpur riots and Aurangzeb

​Past as a prelude: On the Nagpur riots and Aurangzeb

Nagpur riots saw the use of a medieval (मध्ययुगीन, पुरातन, प्राचीन) trope to polarise (ध्रुवीकरण करना, बांटना) people

There is ample (पर्याप्त, प्रचुर) empirical (अनुभवजन्य, प्रायोगिक) evidence that riots in India are often orchestrated (नियोजित करना, संगठित करना) by vested interests (निहित स्वार्थ) and are not spontaneous (स्वाभाविक, तत्क्षण) eruptions (विस्फोट, उद्भव) of social tensions (तनाव). It would therefore be inaccurate (गलत, त्रुटिपूर्ण) to attribute the violence in Nagpur, which left dozens injured, solely (केवल, मात्र) to rumour-mongering (अफवाह फैलाना) or impulsive reactions. For days since the Budget session began on March 3 in Maharashtra, the ruling right-wing parties have persistently (लगातार, निरंतर) invoked (आह्वान करना, प्रेरित करना) the legacy (something received from a predecessor or from the past) of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb as a political talking point (a main/popular topic of conversation). That a medieval ruler remains a recurring (recurrent, perpetual, frequent, repeated, periodical, cyclical) subject in contemporary (modern, current, latest, new-age) political discourse (discussion, conversation, communication, expression) not only highlights (emphasise, underscore, underline, accentuate, point up, call attention to, focus attention on) the misplaced (misguided, misconceived, ill-advised, ill-considered, ill-judged) priorities of governance (government, administration, regime) but also raises suspicions (misgiving, doubt/qualm, scepticism) that these controversies are being deliberately (intentionally, purposely, purposefully, consciously, knowingly) manufactured to distract from pressing (urgent, critical, crucial, important) livelihood issues. The evidence supports this view — Maharashtra, its rural regions in particular (particularly, especially, to be specific), is grappling with inflation (simply meaning “cost of living”; increase of price level of goods & services and vice versa decrease of currency value), farmer suicides, and economic distress (a state of financial hardship experienced by individuals, families, or communities due to factors like unemployment, poverty, or declining industries, often leading to significant challenges and impacting social structures and political engagement). Yet, instead of addressing (tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out) these urgent concerns, the political machinery (organization, system, structure, set-up, channel, apparatus, instrument, mechanism) appears focused on stoking (stir up, trigger, add fuel to, instigate, encourage, prompt, rouse, provoke (a strong emotion)) public discord (disunity, disunion, conflict, division, disagreement) through inflammatory (provocative, provoking, agitating, fomenting) rhetoric, manipulating (exploit, influence, engineer, orchestrate, choreograph, use to one’s advantage) communal loyalties (allegiance, faithfulness, obedience, staunchness, dependability) for electoral gains. These tactics were evident during the recent Assembly election campaign, where prominent leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies repeatedly (frequently, again and again, invariably, constantly, regularly, consistently) invoked Aurangzeb as a campaign (canvassing, electioneering, an act of soliciting (asking for/requesting) votes; an organized effort that seeks to influence the decision-making progress within a specific group) issue. The intent behind this rhetoric (bombast, loftiness, hyperbole/extravagant language) was clear: a dog whistle (political messaging employing coded language that appears to mean one thing to the general population but has an additional, different or more specific resonance for a targeted subgroup) designed to mobilise the majority community by casting (cause to be connected with something; project, make) Muslims as inheritors (descendant, heir, next-in-line; successor, scion) of a long-dead (died a long time ago) ruler’s legacy. Research indicates that riots are less likely (not likely, unlikely, probably not) to occur in societies where interfaith (between different religions; relating to members of different religions) civic (public) engagement is strong. The fact that (used to refer to a specific situation under consideration/discussion) riots erupted (flare up, begin suddenly, start suddenly, erupt, burst out, break out, surface, arise, come up) in Nagpur — a city with significant political and historical importance — stands as an indictment of the ruling establishment (the powers that be, the ruling class, the people in charge, the administration, the system, corridors of power), which claims (state, maintain, assert, affirm) to represent all communities.

Also, the recent box office success of Chhaava, a film depicting the historical conflict (war, warfare, armed conflict, military action, armed clash) between the Marathas under Chhatrapati Sambhaji and the Mughals under Aurangzeb, has fuelled (stoke up, provoke, incite, goad, stimulate, encourage, intensify, support) the communal discourse. However, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s assertion (statement, opinion, affirmation, pronouncement; upholding, insistence) that the film’s popularity triggered (cause, give rise to, lead to, bring about, generate, provoke, stir up) the unrest (disruption, agitation, turmoil, disorder, chaos) is a convenient deflection (divergence, departure, deviation digression) — one that absolves (relieve, release, free, spare; clear acquit, forgive, pardon) the government of responsibility for fostering (encourage, promote, further, endorse, support, back, uphold) an atmosphere (circumstances, situation, condition, context, background, backdrop) of hostility (opposition, conflict, resentment, enmity, aversion, antipathy) through its recurring rhetoric. For Maharashtra to regain its stature (importance, status, distinction, repute, prominence , standing, eminence) as a leader in comprehensive (complete, thorough, extensive, wide-ranging, all-embracing, in-depth, widespread, sweeping, far-reaching) development (progress, progression, advancement, improvement, growth), its government must shift focus from divisive narratives (a representation of a particular situation; portrayal, account, description, statement) to real socio-economic (relating to the interaction of social (position, rank, or importance) and economic (income, pay, and wealth) aspects) challenges. Civil society (civil society refers to space for collective action around shared interests, purposes, and values, generally distinct from government and commercial for-profit actors. It refers to a wide array of organizations: community groups, non-governmental organizations [NGOs], labour unions, indigenous groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, and foundations. Civil society - sometimes called the “third sector” (after government and commerce) - has the power to influence the actions of elected policy-makers and businesses), too, must push back (oppose, resist, object, deny, repulse, repel, fight back, refute, repudiate, drive back, dispute) against communal forces (group, party, outfit) attempting to exploit historical figures (person, individual, character) for cynical (sceptical, doubtful, distrustful, suspicious, ironical, scornful, negative, unsentimental) political ends (aim, goal, purpose, objective, target, intent, intention, ambition). Only by resisting these polarising (dividing, separating, parting) tactics can the State move towards genuine progress.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.prelude (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रस्तावना, भूमिका
English Meaning - an introduction to the main event; intro, start, beginning, precursor, harbinger, curtain-raiser, overture.

2.medieval (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - मध्ययुगीन, पुरातन, प्राचीन
English Meaning - very old-fashioned, out of date, outdated, primitive, archaic; early, of the Middle Ages.

3.polarise (verb)

Hindi Meaning - ध्रुवीकरण करना, बांटना
English Meaning - separate into two opposing groups.

4.ample (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - पर्याप्त, प्रचुर
English Meaning - enough, sufficient, abundant, adequate, large, huge.

5.empirical (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अनुभवजन्य, प्रायोगिक
English Meaning - factual, actual, real, verifiable, practical, pragmatic, hands-on, experimental

6.vested interest (noun)

Hindi Meaning - निहित स्वार्थ
English Meaning - a personal interest in something to get benefit.

7.spontaneous (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - स्वाभाविक, तत्क्षण
English Meaning - natural, automatic, impulsive, instinctive, casual, impromptu, offhand, unplanned, voluntary, unforced.

8.eruption (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विस्फोट, उद्भव
English Meaning - sudden appearance/occurrence. outburst, outbreak, flare-up, epidemic.

9.tensions (noun)

Hindi Meaning - तनाव
English Meaning - strained relations, strain, unease.

10.inaccurate (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - गलत, त्रुटिपूर्ण
English Meaning - inexact, incorrect, erroneous, wrong, faulty, flawed.

11.solely (verb)

Hindi Meaning - केवल, मात्र
English Meaning - only, just, merely.

12.rumour-mongering (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अफवाह फैलाना
English Meaning - the spreading of threatening reports/rumours deliberately (to make people feel worried or frightened).

13.persistently (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - लगातार, निरंतर
English Meaning - continuously, constantly, relentlessly.

14.invoke (verb)

Hindi Meaning - आह्वान करना, प्रेरित करना
English Meaning - cause, give rise to, evoke, bring forth, elicit, induce.

15.orchestrate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - नियोजित करना, संगठित करना
English Meaning - bring about, organize, coordinate, mobilize, stage, engineer, mastermind, choreograph.

16.trope (noun)

English Meaning - figurative expression, metaphor, comparison, symbol.

17.attribute (verb)

English Meaning - connect with, associate with

18.impulsive (adjective)

English Meaning - natural, automatic, spontaneous, instinctive, casual, impromptu, offhand, unplanned, voluntary, unforced.

19.ruling (adjective)

English Meaning - currently exercising authority/power; reigning

20.right-wing (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a person who is following the principles of conservatism; right-winger, rightist, conservative.

21.legacy (noun)

English Meaning - something received from a predecessor or from the past.

22.talking point (noun)

English Meaning - a main/popular topic of conversation.

23.recurring (adjective)

English Meaning - recurrent, perpetual, frequent, repeated, periodical, cyclical.

24.contemporary (adjective)

English Meaning - modern, current, latest, new-age.

25.discourse (noun)

English Meaning - discussion, conversation, communication, expression.

26.highlight (verb)

English Meaning - emphasise, underscore, underline, accentuate, point up, call attention to, focus attention on.

27.misplaced (adjective)

English Meaning - misguided, misconceived, ill-advised, ill-considered, ill-judged.

28.governance (noun)

English Meaning - government, administration, regime.

29.suspicion (noun)

English Meaning - misgiving, doubt/qualm, scepticism.

30.deliberately (adverb)

English Meaning - intentionally, purposely, purposefully, consciously, knowingly.

31.manufacture (verb)

English Meaning - devise, formulate, frame, fabricate, think up, contrive.

32.pressing (adjective)

English Meaning - urgent, critical, crucial, important.

33.in particular (phrase)

English Meaning - particularly, especially, to be specific.

34.grapple with (verb)

English Meaning - tackle, confront, deal with, cope with.

35.inflation (noun)

English Meaning - simply meaning “cost of living”; increase of price level of goods & services and vice versa decrease of currency value.

36.economic distress (noun)

English Meaning - a state of financial hardship experienced by individuals, families, or communities due to factors like unemployment, poverty, or declining industries, often leading to significant challenges and impacting social structures and political engagement.

37.distress (noun)

English Meaning - difficulty, hardship, trouble; suffering/pain.

38.address (verb)

English Meaning - tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out.

39.machinery (noun)

English Meaning - organization, system, structure, set-up, channel, apparatus, instrument, mechanism.

40.stoke (verb)

English Meaning - stir up, trigger, add fuel to, instigate, encourage, prompt, rouse, provoke (a strong emotion).

41.discord (noun)

English Meaning - disunity, disunion, conflict, division, disagreement.

42.inflammatory (adjective)

English Meaning - provocative, provoking, agitating, fomenting.

43.rhetoric (noun)

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

44.manipulate (verb)

English Meaning - exploit, influence, engineer, orchestrate, choreograph, use to one’s advantage.

45.loyalty (noun)

English Meaning - allegiance, faithfulness, obedience, staunchness, dependability.

46.(Legislative) Assembly (noun)

English Meaning - Assembly/Vidhan Sabha; a legislative body in the states and union territories of India.

47.campaign (noun)

English Meaning - canvassing, electioneering, an act of soliciting (asking for/requesting) votes; an organized effort that seeks to influence the decision-making progress within a specific group.

48.ally (noun)

English Meaning - supporter, confidant, sympathizer, backer, partner.

49.repeatedly (adverb)

English Meaning - frequently, again and again, invariably, constantly, regularly, consistently.

50.dog whistle (noun)

English Meaning - political messaging employing coded language that appears to mean one thing to the general population but has an additional, different or more specific resonance for a targeted subgroup.

51.design (verb)

English Meaning - fabricate, conceive, plan, create, formulate, devise.

52.cast (verb)

English Meaning - cause to be connected with something; project, make.

53.inheritor (noun)

English Meaning - descendant, heir, next-in-line; successor, scion.

54.long-dead (adjective)

English Meaning - died a long time ago.

55.less likely (phrase)

English Meaning - not likely, unlikely, probably not.

56.interfaith (adjective)

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

57.civic (adjective)

English Meaning - public.

58.engagement (noun)

English Meaning - participation, contribution, taking part, involvement.

59.the fact that (phrase)

English Meaning - used to refer to a specific situation under consideration/discussion.

60.erupt (verb)

English Meaning - flare up, begin suddenly, start suddenly, erupt, burst out, break out, surface, arise, come up.

61.establishment (noun)

English Meaning - the powers that be, the ruling class, the people in charge, the administration, the system, corridors of power.

62.claim (verb)

English Meaning - state, maintain, assert, affirm.

63.depict (verb)

English Meaning - portray, represent, illustrate, render

64.conflict (noun)

English Meaning - war, warfare, armed conflict, military action, armed clash.

65.fuel (verb)

English Meaning - stoke up, provoke, incite, goad, stimulate, encourage, intensify, support.

66.assertion (noun)

English Meaning - statement, opinion, affirmation, pronouncement; upholding, insistence.

67.trigger (verb)

English Meaning - cause, give rise to, lead to, bring about, generate, provoke, stir up.

68.unrest (noun)

English Meaning - disruption, agitation, turmoil, disorder, chaos.

69.deflection (noun)

English Meaning - divergence, departure, deviation digression.

70.absolve (verb)

English Meaning - relieve, release, free, spare; clear acquit, forgive, pardon.

71.foster (verb)

English Meaning - encourage, promote, further, endorse, support, back, uphold.

72.atmosphere (noun)

English Meaning - circumstances, situation, condition, context, background, backdrop.

73.hostility (noun)

English Meaning - opposition, conflict, resentment, enmity, aversion, antipathy.

74.stature (noun)

English Meaning - importance, status, distinction, repute, prominence , standing, eminence.

75.comprehensive (adjective)

English Meaning - complete, thorough, extensive, wide-ranging, all-embracing, in-depth, widespread, sweeping, far-reaching.

76.development (noun)

English Meaning - progress, progression, advancement, improvement, growth.

77.divisive (adjective)

English Meaning - alienating/isolating, disharmonious, discordant.

78.narrative (noun)

English Meaning - a representation of a particular situation; portrayal, account, description, statement.

79.socio-economic (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the interaction of social (position, rank, or importance) and economic (income, pay, and wealth) aspects.

80.civil society (noun)

English Meaning - civil society refers to space for collective action around shared interests, purposes, and values, generally distinct from government and commercial for-profit actors. It refers to a wide array of organizations: community groups, non-governmental organizations [NGOs], labour unions, indigenous groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, and foundations. Civil society - sometimes called the “third sector” (after government and commerce) - has the power to influence the actions of elected policy-makers and businesses.

81.push back (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - oppose, resist, object, deny, repulse, repel, fight back, refute, repudiate, drive back, dispute.

82.force (noun)

English Meaning - group, party, outfit.

83.exploit (verb)

English Meaning - take advantage of, make use of, utilize, capitalize on, cash in on, milk.

84.figure (noun)

English Meaning - person, individual, character.

85.cynical (adjective)

English Meaning - sceptical, doubtful, distrustful, suspicious, ironical, scornful, negative, unsentimental.

85.end (noun)

English Meaning - aim, goal, purpose, objective, target, intent, intention, ambition.

86.polarising (adjective)

English Meaning - dividing, separating, parting.