Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Selective outrage: on Supreme Court and NCERT textbook

Selective outrage: on Supreme Court and NCERT textbook

The judiciary (न्यायपालिका) seems quick to take offence only when it sees itself under attack

The Supreme Court Bench that took up the NCERT Class 8 social science textbook case might have overreacted when it saw the critical references (उल्लेख, संदर्भ) to the judiciary as a “deep-seated conspiracy (षड़यंत्र)” and declared that it will not allow “anyone on earth” to tarnish (कलंकित करना, बदनाम करना) the judiciary’s integrity (ईमानदारी, नैतिक दृढ़ता, अखंडता). While the government has expressed remorse (deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed; regret, guilt), Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s statement that action will be taken against officials (अधिकारी) responsible for inserting references to case pendency (the state or condition of legal cases remaining undecided or unresolved within the judicial system for an extended period; backlog of cases, delayed cases, unresolved litigation, pending lawsuits) and “judicial corruption” is an exercise in executive arbitrariness (मनमानी, स्वेच्छाचारिता) prompted (प्रेरित करना, उकसाना) by judicial overreach (the act of an institution doing more than its authority allows, or attempting to interfere in matters beyond its jurisdiction; overstepping, excess, interference, overextension). In fairness to (to be fair to, doing justice to, acknowledging, objectively speaking) the Court, it would likely not have taken offence to the passages (a short section or excerpt from a text, book, or piece of writing; excerpt, extract, section, paragraph) had these had been in any other book. But textbooks are official, authoritative (प्रामाणिक, आधिकारिक) accounts and the judiciary found the passages ill-motivated (दुर्भावनापूर्ण). Instances of judicial corruption are real and censoring (suppress, cut, edit, make cuts in, redact, make changes to) textbooks is not a corrective measure (उपाय, कदम).

Since the BJP came to power, rewriting school and college textbooks has been a key part of its agenda. Right-wing (relating to conservative or reactionary political views, typically supporting tradition and nationalistic policies; conservative, traditionalist, rightist, reactionary) commentators (analyst, pundit, observer, critic) often find court judgments, such as those giving precedence (प्रधानता, प्राथमिकता) to the environment (पर्यावरण) as against development (growth, advancement, progress, expansion), or worse, as against religious practices of Hindus, and therefore not nationalistic (having or expressing strong patriotic feelings, often involving a belief in the superiority of one’s own nation over others; patriotic) or beneficial to the vast majority of the people of India. An adviser to the Prime Minister recently called the judiciary the single biggest obstacle (barrier, hurdle, impediment, hindrance) to development. The Court, perhaps (maybe, possibly, conceivably, seemingly), saw the textbook as an attempt to intimidate (frighten, threaten, bully, coerce) the judiciary. Some of the sentences were indeed (undeniably, certainly, genuinely, undoubtedly) in the form of broadbrushing (to describe, characterize, or dismiss something in a sweeping, general way, often ignoring complex details or subtle nuances; generalize, oversimplify, sweep, stereotype) social media assertions (claim, declaration, contention, statement) not carefully constructed (formulate, create) with rigour (the quality of being extremely thorough, exhaustive, or accurate in academic or legal application; strictness, exactness, precision, thoroughness). The textbook, for instance (for example, as an example, e.g., to illustrate), said, “People do experience corruption at various levels of the judiciary” and went on to describe complaints and redress (a remedy or compensation for a wrong, grievance, or unfair situation; remedy, reparation, compensation, justice) mechanisms (procedure, system, method, apparatus). But, such critical references had been used in chapters dealing with the government or the political executive as well. The chapter on elections had a picture of currency notes apparently (seemingly, supposedly, ostensibly, evidently) found in the car of a candidate. The textbook writers probably (almost certainly, likely, presumably, in all likelihood, arguably) aimed to spark (trigger, provoke, stimulate, ignite) critical awareness (the conscious ability to objectively analyze, evaluate, and question information or societal norms rather than passively accepting them; analytical thinking, conscious perception, mindful evaluation, objective understanding), not offer bland (lacking strong features or characteristics and therefore uninteresting, mild, or completely inoffensive; dull, insipid, uninspiring, monotonous) tutorials in civic studies. But as with (similar to, like, in the same way as, just as) other textbooks, there are problematic passages. The many history chapters uncritically (blindly, unquestioningly, naively, thoughtlessly) valorise (glorify, exalt, idealize, praise) medieval Hindu kingdoms and portray their struggle to retain power as rightful resistances (opposition, defiance, struggle, rebellion) to Muslim rule. Wars for plunder (the violent and dishonest acquisition of property, wealth, or goods, typically occurring during a war or invasion; looting, pillage, robbery, exploitation) and territorial expansion (the strategic policy or act of a state enlarging its geographical area, usually through military conquest or annexation; land conquest, empire building, geographical growth, annexation) have always been part of history, and they did not begin with Muslim invaders (a person or group that enters a country, region, or territory by force to conquer or occupy it; conqueror, attacker, occupier, aggressor). Chapters on Muslim kingdoms briefly refer to Akbar’s tolerance (the ability or willingness to tolerate the existence of opinions, religious beliefs, or behavior that one dislikes or disagrees with; open-mindedness, acceptance, forbearance, broad-mindedness) and Babur’s intellectual (relating to the intellect, mental capacity, or the academic pursuit of knowledge and understanding; scholarly, academic, cognitive, mental) curiosity but remain largely (to a great extent; principally, mostly, primarily, predominantly) negative. The chapter on penury (the state of extreme poverty, destitution, or lack of resources; extreme poverty, destitution, impoverishment, indigence) under British rule and Mughal-era wealth is not balanced. The problem is not that the textbook selectively targets the judiciary; it is that the judiciary selectively targets certain portions.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.selective (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - चयनात्मक, चुनिंदा
English Meaning - careful in choosing or dealing with only a specific part of a whole while ignoring others; discriminating, particular, choosy, biased.

2.outrage (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आक्रोश, तीव्र क्रोध
English Meaning - anger, fury, indignation, resentment.

3.judiciary (noun)

Hindi Meaning - न्यायपालिका
English Meaning - the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in a country, acting as the branch of government responsible for administering justice; judicial system, courts of law, judicial branch.

4.reference (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उल्लेख, संदर्भ
English Meaning - a mention or allusion to someone or something, often used as a piece of information or evidence; mention, allusion, remark, citation.

5.conspiracy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - षड़यंत्र
English Meaning - a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful; plot, scheme, collusion, machination.

6.tarnish (verb)

Hindi Meaning - कलंकित करना, बदनाम करना
English Meaning - stain, blemish, sully, damage.

7.integrity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - ईमानदारी, नैतिक दृढ़ता, अखंडता
English Meaning - the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, rendering an institution trustworthy; uprightness, honesty, probity, character.

8.official (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अधिकारी
English Meaning - a person holding public office or having official duties, especially as a representative of a government department; bureaucrat, officer, functionary, executive.

9.arbitrariness (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मनमानी, स्वेच्छाचारिता
English Meaning - the quality of being based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system; capriciousness, unreasonableness, subjectivity, randomness.

10.prompt (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रेरित करना, उकसाना
English Meaning - cause, bring about, result in, trigger.

11.authoritative (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रामाणिक, आधिकारिक
English Meaning - considered to be accurate, reliable, and true, possessing recognized expertise or official backing; reliable, dependable, definitive, official.

12.ill-motivated (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - दुर्भावनापूर्ण
English Meaning - malicious, ill-intentioned, biased, spiteful.

13.precedence (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रधानता, प्राथमिकता
English Meaning - priority, preference, primacy, superiority.

14.environment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पर्यावरण
English Meaning - nature, ecosystem, surroundings, biosphere.

15.measure (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उपाय, कदम
English Meaning - step, action, proceeding, procedure.

16.Constitution Bench (noun)

English Meaning - a special bench of the Supreme Court of India consisting of five or more judges, formed to decide cases involving a substantial question of law concerning constitutional interpretation; five-judge bench, supreme constitutional panel, apex court panel.

17.overreact (verb)

English Meaning - overrespond, exaggerate, panic, overdo.

18.corrective (adjective)

English Meaning - remedial, rectifying, restorative.

19.deep-seated (adjective)

English Meaning - existing for a long time and very difficult to change, firmly established at a deep systemic level; ingrained, entrenched, deep-rooted, profound.

20.National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) (noun)

English Meaning - an autonomous organization of the Government of India that advises on policies for qualitative improvement in school education.

21.take offence (phrase)

English Meaning - to feel upset, insulted, or resentful because of something that has been said or done; feel insulted, get offended, be affronted, feel hurt.

22.see oneself (phrase)

English Meaning - to perceive, regard, or imagine oneself in a particular way or situation; perceive oneself, view oneself, consider oneself, regard oneself.

23.Bench (noun)

English Meaning - a judge or a group of judges sitting together in a court of law to hear and decide legal cases; tribunal, court, judges, judicial panel.

24.Division Bench (noun)

English Meaning - a judicial bench in a High Court or Supreme Court comprising two judges who hear appeals or significant cases together; two-judge bench, appellate bench.

25.take up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - accept, consider, deal with, handle.

26.remorse (noun)

English Meaning - deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed; regret, guilt.

27.case pendency (noun)

English Meaning - the state or condition of legal cases remaining undecided or unresolved within the judicial system for an extended period; backlog of cases, delayed cases, unresolved litigation, pending lawsuits.

28.pendency (noun)

English Meaning - the state of being pending, unresolved, or awaiting a final decision, particularly in legal matters; unresolved state, delay, incompletion, suspension.

29.overreach (noun)

English Meaning - the act of an institution doing more than its authority allows, or attempting to interfere in matters beyond its jurisdiction; overstepping, excess, interference, overextension.

30.In fairness to (phrase)

English Meaning - to be fair to, doing justice to, acknowledging, objectively speaking.

31.passage (noun)

English Meaning - a short section or excerpt from a text, book, or piece of writing; excerpt, extract, section, paragraph.

32.account (noun)

English Meaning - report, narrative, description, record.

33.censor (verb)

English Meaning - suppress, cut, edit, make cuts in, redact, make changes to.

34.right-wing (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to conservative or reactionary political views, typically supporting tradition and nationalistic policies; conservative, traditionalist, rightist, reactionary.

35.commentator (noun)

English Meaning - analyst, pundit, observer, critic.

36.give precedence to (phrase)

English Meaning - to treat someone or something as more important than others, granting them priority in attention or action; prioritize, prefer, put first, emphasize.

37.development (noun)

English Meaning - growth, advancement, progress, expansion.

38.nationalistic (adjective)

English Meaning - having or expressing strong patriotic feelings, often involving a belief in the superiority of one’s own nation over others; patriotic.

39.obstacle (noun)

English Meaning - barrier, hurdle, impediment, hindrance.

40.perhaps (adverb)

English Meaning - maybe, possibly, conceivably, seemingly.

41.intimidate (verb)

English Meaning - frighten, threaten, bully, coerce.

42.indeed (adverb)

English Meaning - undeniably, certainly, genuinely, undoubtedly.

43.broadbrush (verb)

English Meaning - to describe, characterize, or dismiss something in a sweeping, general way, often ignoring complex details or subtle nuances; generalize, oversimplify, sweep, stereotype.

44.assertion (noun)

English Meaning - claim, declaration, contention, statement.

45.construct (verb)

English Meaning - formulate, create.

46.rigour (noun)

English Meaning - the quality of being extremely thorough, exhaustive, or accurate in academic or legal application; strictness, exactness, precision, thoroughness.

47.for instance (phrase)

English Meaning - for example, as an example, e.g., to illustrate.

48.go on to (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - proceed, advance, continue, progress.

49.redress (noun)

English Meaning - a remedy or compensation for a wrong, grievance, or unfair situation; remedy, reparation, compensation, justice.

50.mechanism (noun)

English Meaning - procedure, system, method, apparatus.

51.the (political) executive (noun)

English Meaning - the branch of government, consisting of elected officials and ministers, responsible for making high-level policy decisions and directing the administration; elected government, ruling cabinet, political leadership, ministers.

52.apparently (adverb)

English Meaning - seemingly, supposedly, ostensibly, evidently.

53.probably (adverb)

English Meaning - almost certainly, likely, presumably, in all likelihood, arguably.

54.spark (verb)

English Meaning - trigger, provoke, stimulate, ignite.

55.critical awareness (noun)

English Meaning - the conscious ability to objectively analyze, evaluate, and question information or societal norms rather than passively accepting them; analytical thinking, conscious perception, mindful evaluation, objective understanding.

56.bland (adjective)

English Meaning - lacking strong features or characteristics and therefore uninteresting, mild, or completely inoffensive; dull, insipid, uninspiring, monotonous.

57.civic study (noun)

English Meaning - civics, political science, public administration study.

58.as with (phrase)

English Meaning - similar to, like, in the same way as, just as.

59.uncritically (adverb)

English Meaning - blindly, unquestioningly, naively, thoughtlessly.

60.valorise (verb)

English Meaning - glorify, exalt, idealize, praise.

61.medieval (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the Middle Ages; historical, middle-age, feudal, pre-modern.

62.resistance (noun)

English Meaning - opposition, defiance, struggle, rebellion.

63.plunder (noun)

English Meaning - the violent and dishonest acquisition of property, wealth, or goods, typically occurring during a war or invasion; looting, pillage, robbery, exploitation.

64.territorial expansion (noun)

English Meaning - the strategic policy or act of a state enlarging its geographical area, usually through military conquest or annexation; land conquest, empire building, geographical growth, annexation.

65.invader (noun)

English Meaning - a person or group that enters a country, region, or territory by force to conquer or occupy it; conqueror, attacker, occupier, aggressor.

66.tolerance (noun)

English Meaning - the ability or willingness to tolerate the existence of opinions, religious beliefs, or behavior that one dislikes or disagrees with; open-mindedness, acceptance, forbearance, broad-mindedness.

67.intellectual (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the intellect, mental capacity, or the academic pursuit of knowledge and understanding; scholarly, academic, cognitive, mental.

68.curiosity (noun)

English Meaning - a strong, genuine desire to know, learn, or understand something; inquisitiveness, interest, questioning, eagerness.

69.largely (adverb)

English Meaning - to a great extent; principally, mostly, primarily, predominantly.

70.penury (noun)

English Meaning - the state of extreme poverty, destitution, or lack of resources; extreme poverty, destitution, impoverishment, indigence.