Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Chance and change: on Punjab polls

Chance and change: on Punjab polls

Despite changes in government, the burning (जला हुआ, महत्वपूर्ण, दबाव, अत्यावश्यक) issues remain unsolved in Punjab

Since the last Assembly election in 2017, Punjab politics has changed considerably (काफी, उल्लेखनीय रूप से, बहुत अधिक), though the issues that throttled (गला घोंट देना, नियंत्रित करना, प्रतिबंधित करना) the State then continue to do so even now. Unemployment, endemic (स्थानिक, व्यापक, प्रचलित) drug abuse (गाली, अपशब्द, दुरूपयोग), mafias that control the liquor (शराब) and sand trade, farm debts (कर्ज, वित्तीय दायित्व, बकाया भुगतान, देय राशि), and depleting (exhausting, emptying, draining, reducing, decreasing, diminishing, lessening) groundwater are among the haunting (evocative, emotive, powerful, stirring, affecting, moving, touching) problems. In 2017, led by Captain Amarinder Singh, the Congress party came to power with a thumping (ज़बरदस्त, निर्णायक, विशाल) majority, winning 77 of the 117 Assembly seats. The election saw a triangular (त्रिकोणीय, तीन तरफा) fight with a new entrant (प्रतियोगी, नया सदस्य), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), coming into the State’s political arena (क्षेत्र, गतिविधि का क्षेत्र). The Congress promises then included punishing the main culprits (अपराधी, कानून तोड़ने वाला) behind the sacrilege (अपवित्रीकरण, निन्दा, अपमान / अनादर) of the Guru Granth Sahib and police firing incidents at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan in 2015, and the cancellation of ‘faulty’ power purchase agreements, but it could make only limited (सीमित, अल्प, अपर्याप्त) progress on burning issues. Captain Amarinder was accused of (दोषारोपण करना, आरोप लगाना, अभियोग लगाना) going ‘soft (lenient, sympathetic, not strict, easy-going, tolerant, forgiving, forbearing, generous)’ on the Badal family that helmed (be in charge, be in command, be in authority/position) the previous government and continues to control the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). The Congress booted him out (dismiss, throw out, get rid of, discharge) in September 2021 in an attempt to salvage (rescue, save, restore; retain, preserve, conserve; recover, retrieve, reclaim) its fortunes ((successful) circumstances, state of affairs, condition; chance, luck, success), but ended up (come/appear, find oneself (to a particular course of action in the end)) with chaos at the top. Stomping (crush/squash, step, treat heavily; kick someone out, throw out someone forcefully) a narcissistic trail (path, way, track, course), party State president Navjot Singh Sidhu undermines the party and the authority of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, who has grown in stature (reputation, standing, status, position), though his elevation (promotion, rise) was the result of chance circumstances (situation, conditions, factors, context).

The Congress is caught in a bind (in a difficult situation). The elevation of Mr. Channi, the first Dalit to become the State Chief Minister, has perked up (cheer up, brighten, energize, revive) its support among the community that is nearly a third of the population. But that might upset the Jat Sikhs who dominate Punjab’s power structure (arrangement, system, framework). The Hindus who largely (to a large/great extent) voted for the Congress are also uneasy about the panthic (referring to any group or community or society that follows the path established by the Sikh Gurus) — Sikh religious — politics being championed (advocate, promote, defend, protect, uphold, support, back, espouse) by Mr. Sidhu. The SAD is focusing on its panthic agenda but remains largely listless (slow, lethargic/sluggish; lifeless/spiritless); the contraption (mechanism, apparatus, invention, device) of an alliance (association, union, partnership) between Captain Amarinder’s Punjab Lok Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) and the Bharatiya Janata Party may have a tough challenge in inspiring (give rise to, lead to, result in, bring about, cause) significant support. Against the backdrop (situation, scenario, context) of the year-long farmers’ protest against three farm laws, as many as 22 farm unions have joined hands together to contest elections. AAP is trying to sell its ‘Delhi model of governance (administration, rule)’, and its bid (attempt, effort, endeavour/try) for power this time appears serious. It is showering (provide a large number of things to (someone)) promises, which include a monthly dole (allowance, donation, offering, contribution, handout) of ₹1,000 to all women voters above 18 if elected to power. SAD’s credibility is at a low, and the Congress is its own worst enemy in the State. All that and AAP’s ability to feel the pulse of the voters make the Punjab contest an open field (a lack of opposition/competition).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.burning (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - जला हुआ, महत्वपूर्ण, दबाव, अत्यावश्यक
English Meaning - important, significant, crucial, critical, pressing, urgent.

2.considerably (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - काफी, उल्लेखनीय रूप से, बहुत अधिक
English Meaning - substantially, significantly, markedly, noticeably, very much, a lot.

3.throttle (verb)

Hindi Meaning - गला घोंट देना, नियंत्रित करना, प्रतिबंधित करना
English Meaning - suppress, control, restrict, stifle.

4.endemic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - स्थानिक, व्यापक, प्रचलित
English Meaning - widespread, prevailing, usual, common, general, extensive, ubiquitous.

5.abuse (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गाली, अपशब्द, दुरूपयोग
English Meaning - misuse, misapplication, exploitation.

6.liquor (noun)

Hindi Meaning - शराब
English Meaning - alcoholic drink.

7.debt (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कर्ज, वित्तीय दायित्व, बकाया भुगतान, देय राशि
English Meaning - financial obligation, outstanding payment, amount due, money owing, dues, arrears, debits, charges.

8.thumping (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - ज़बरदस्त, निर्णायक, विशाल
English Meaning - enormous, huge, massive, tremendous; decisive, conclusive, striking, impressive, outstanding.

9.triangular (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - त्रिकोणीय, तीन तरफा
English Meaning - three-sided, three-cornered.

10.entrant (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतियोगी, नया सदस्य
English Meaning - new member, newcomer.

11.arena (noun)

Hindi Meaning - क्षेत्र, गतिविधि का क्षेत्र
English Meaning - sphere, area, field of activity.

12.culprit (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अपराधी, कानून तोड़ने वाला
English Meaning - offender, wrongdoer, criminal, lawbreaker.

13.sacrilege (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अपवित्रीकरण, निन्दा, अपमान / अनादर
English Meaning - desecration, blasphemy, irreverence/disrespect (to sacred things), irreligiousness, godlessness, unholiness.

14.limited (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सीमित, अल्प, अपर्याप्त
English Meaning - meagre, scanty, sparse, insubstantial.

15.accuse of (verb)

Hindi Meaning - दोषारोपण करना, आरोप लगाना, अभियोग लगाना
English Meaning - charge with, indict for, prosecute for.

16.depleting (adjective)

English Meaning - exhausting, emptying, draining, reducing, decreasing, diminishing, lessening.

17.haunting (adjective)

English Meaning - evocative, emotive, powerful, stirring, affecting, moving, touching.

18.power purchase agreement (PPA) (noun)

English Meaning - A Power Purchase Agreement (“PPA”) is generally the primary contract between the public and private sector parties which underpin a power sector public-private partnership (PPP). Put simply, it is a contract between a government agency and a private utility (electricity supplying) company.

19.soft (adjective)

English Meaning - lenient, sympathetic, not strict, easy-going, tolerant, forgiving, forbearing, generous.

20.helm (verb)

English Meaning - be in charge, be in command, be in authority/position.

21.boot out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - dismiss, throw out, get rid of, discharge.

22.salvage (verb)

English Meaning - rescue, save, restore; retain, preserve, conserve; recover, retrieve, reclaim.

23.fortunes (noun)

English Meaning - (successful) circumstances, state of affairs, condition; chance, luck, success.

24.end up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - come/appear, find oneself (to a particular course of action in the end).

25.chaos (noun)

English Meaning - disorder, disarray, turmoil, disorganization, disruption.

26.stomp (verb)

English Meaning - crush/squash, step, treat heavily; kick someone out, throw out someone forcefully.

27.narcissistic (adjective)

English Meaning - self-loving, self-centred, egotistic.

28.trail (noun)

English Meaning - path, way, track, course.

29.undermine (verb)

English Meaning - weaken, subvert, sabotage, damage.

30.stature (noun)

English Meaning - reputation, standing, status, position.

31.elevation (noun)

English Meaning - promotion, rise.

32.chance (adjective)

English Meaning - accidental, fluky, unplanned, unexpected, unintended.

33.circumstances (noun)

English Meaning - situation, conditions, factors, context.

34.in a bind (phrase)

English Meaning - in a difficult situation.

35.perk up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - cheer up, brighten, energize, revive.

36.structure (noun)

English Meaning - arrangement, system, framework.

37.largely (adverb)

English Meaning - to a large/great extent.

38.panthic (adjective)

English Meaning - referring to any group or community or society that follows the path established by the Sikh Gurus.

39.champion (verb)

English Meaning - advocate, promote, defend, protect, uphold, support, back, espouse.

40.listless (adjective)

English Meaning - slow, lethargic/sluggish; lifeless/spiritless.

41.contraption (noun)

English Meaning - mechanism, apparatus, invention, device.

42.alliance (noun)

English Meaning - association, union, partnership.

43.inspire (verb)

English Meaning - give rise to, lead to, result in, bring about, cause

44.backdrop (noun)

English Meaning - situation, scenario, context.

45.Farm Acts, 2000 (noun)

English Meaning - Farm Acts, 2000 refer to three agricultural bills passed by Indian Parliament in September 2020. The three acts are “The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 (FPTC Act) allows farmers to sell their harvest outside the notified Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis without paying any State taxes or fees”, “the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 facilitates contract farming and direct marketing”, and “the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 deregulates the production, storage, movement and sale of several major foodstuffs, including cereals, pulses, edible oils and onion, except in the case of extraordinary circumstances”.

46.as many as (phrase)

English Meaning - considerable, substantial, large (number of).

47.join hands (phrase)

English Meaning - work together with.

48.sell (verb)

English Meaning - promote, win someone over, persuade/convince someone to accept, get support for.

49.governance (noun)

English Meaning - administration, rule.

50.bid (noun)

English Meaning - attempt, effort, endeavour/try.

51.shower (verb)

English Meaning - provide a large number of things to (someone).