Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Power and freedom: On the Senthilbalaji case

Power and freedom: On the Senthilbalaji case

At stake is not the continuance of a Minister but propriety (शिष्टाचार, उपयुक्तता)

The Supreme Court’s remark on April 23, asking Tamil Nadu Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise V. Senthilbalaji, who has been out on bail since September 2024 in an alleged money laundering (The process of cleaning clothes or concealing illegal money) case, to choose between his post and freedom was expected. In the last four months, the Court used strong language against the Minister on more than one occasion. Last December, the Court expressed its objection to the return of Mr. Senthilbalaji to the Cabinet a few days after it granted (प्रदान करना, स्वीकृति देना) him bail. On March 24, it took a dim view of the lack of response from him to its question raised on February 12 over his continuance (निरंतरता, बना रहना) as Minister. Mr. Senthilbalaji, in all likelihood, would have anticipated (प्रत्याशित, अपेक्षित) what the Court said now. That two senior advocates, Kapil Sibal and Mukul Rohatgi, and an advocate for the Minister, had to persuade (राज़ी करना, मनाना) a Bench of Justices A.S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan not to issue an interim (अंतरिम, अस्थायी अवधि) order till Monday (April 28) is no common event in any court of law, let alone the Supreme Court. The observations of the Bench that it had been a “mistake” in granting him bail and that the conduct of the Minister was “dishonest,” and the statement of Justice Oka to Mr. Sibal that “you [Mr. Senthilbalaji] will ensure that no witness comes to the box”, reflect concerns that a Minister could tamper (छेड़छाड़ करना, हस्तक्षेप करना) with evidence and influence witnesses. Clearly, Mr. Senthilbalaji would have done himself a favour by not returning to the Cabinet.

Even now, it is not too late for him to resign. If he does not, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin would be forced to act against him. What is at stake is not just the continuance of a Minister, but propriety. After all, the Court had granted Mr. Senthilbalaji bail not on merits, but on the ground that he had undergone an incarceration (कारावास, बंदीकरण) of one year as an under trial in the case. When it had not given him a clean chit in the first instance, his re-induction into the Cabinet has naturally become a subject matter before the Court, regardless of the correctness or otherwise of the Minister’s claim that “there is not even a whisper of violation of any bail condition.” On September 28, 2024, at the time when he was granted bail, The Hindu had pointed out that “the cause of justice for the victims of the job scandal (An action causing public outrage or disgrace) and a fair trial for the accused (आरोप लगाना, दोषी ठहराना) would be served well if Mr. Stalin avoids inducting Mr. Senthilbalaji again in his Cabinet until he is cleared of the charges.” The point still holds. Mr. Senthilbalaji should not risk the ignominy (अपमान, कलंक) of getting dropped from the Cabinet on the recommendation of the Chief Minister.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Propriety (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - शिष्टाचार, उपयुक्तता
English Meaning - Correct or appropriate behavior.

2.Continuance (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - निरंतरता, बना रहना
English Meaning - The state of remaining in existence.

3.Anticipated (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रत्याशित, अपेक्षित
English Meaning - Expected or looked forward to.

4.Persuade (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - राज़ी करना, मनाना
English Meaning - To convince someone to do something.

5.Interim (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - अंतरिम, अस्थायी अवधि
English Meaning - A temporary or provisional period.

6.Tamper (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - छेड़छाड़ करना, हस्तक्षेप करना
English Meaning - To interfere with something in a harmful way.

7.Incarceration (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - कारावास, बंदीकरण
English Meaning - The state of being imprisoned.

8.Ignominy (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - अपमान, कलंक
English Meaning - Public shame or disgrace.

9.Accuse (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - आरोप लगाना, दोषी ठहराना
English Meaning - To blame someone for wrongdoing.

10.Grant (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रदान करना, स्वीकृति देना
English Meaning - To give something formally or officially.

11.Scandal (Noun)

English Meaning - An action causing public outrage or disgrace.

12.Laundering (Noun)

English Meaning - The process of cleaning clothes or concealing illegal money.