Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Die is cast: On U.P. poll campaign

Die is cast: On U.P. poll campaign

U.P. goes to the polls with parties trying to mobilise people on communal and caste lines (पंक्तियां, तरीका, प्रणाली)

As campaigning (प्रचार करना, अभियान) gets brisk (तेज, सक्रिय, व्यस्त, जीवंत) for the first phase of polls in Uttar Pradesh on February 10, the die has been cast (something (a decision, a course of action, the future) has been determined that cannot be changed) for the six phases to follow too. The ruling (सत्तारूढ़, शासन करना) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on the defensive (प्रतिरक्षात्मक स्थिति में) in 58 seats in western Uttar Pradesh; 11 districts vote in the first phase. In 2017, the party had won 51 of these seats (later 52). The challenge to the BJP’s dominance (प्रभाव, प्रभुत्व, अधिकार) comes primarily from the Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal (SP-RLD) alliance (गठबंधन, संधि, साझेदारी) in this potato and sugarcane belt (region, area, territory, neighbourhood, locality) but also in the fray (दंगा, प्रतियोगिता) are the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress alongside (के साथ) recent entrants (new member, newcomer), the Aam Aadmi Party and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. The region, abutting (सटा हुआ, सीमा पर एकत्रित होना ) the national capital of Delhi, was a hotspot (a place of significant activity) of the farmers’ agitation against the Central government last year. The SP-RLD alliance draws (obtain, extract, withdraw, take out) its evident (प्रत्यक्ष, स्पष्ट) energy from the resentment (नाराज़गी, जलन, असन्तोष) against the BJP among Jats, a farming community that had aligned with (के साथ मिलाना, गठजोड़ करना) the party’s Hindutva agenda (कार्यसूची, योजना।) in recent years. The BJP has put forth (प्रस्ताव, उत्पन्न होना) a plank (a fundamental point) of suraksha (security) and samman (dignity (self-esteem, self-respect)). Taken aback (surprise, shock, stun, astonish) by the momentum (strength, impetus) of the SP-RLD alliance, it is trying to polarise (separate into two opposing groups) the elections so that Jat farmers who constitute (add up to, account for, represent) an estimated 17% of the population in the region and who voted overwhelmingly (with a great majority; to a very great degree) for the party in the last elections do not unite with Muslims who constitute 26% of the population (in the region). The BJP’s behaviour (conduct, way of acting, actions, practices) signals that it will leave no stone unturned (to do every (single) thing possible in order to achieve something; not give up, be persistent, be determined) to consolidate (combine, unite, merge, integrate, bring together; strengthen, reinforce, fortify) the Hindu votes and override (outweigh, supersede, offset, cancel out, be more important than) caste tensions (strained relations; strain, stress, pressure, unease), across the State.

The BJP is also trying to create a narrative (a representation of a particular situation; portrayal/account) that the SP scores (be successful, be a success, make an impression, have an impact; achieve, attain) poorly on law and order (the passing of laws and their strict implementation by police and the courts; lawfulness, peacefulness, harmony, non-aggression, non-violence), and the Yogi Adityanath government has been tough on crime in the last five years. The law and order pitch (an attempt to convince someone to accept something; patter, talk) of the party is communally tinged (influence, affect, modify), however. The party is highlighting (emphasize, underline, underscore, accentuate) government investment in highways, airports and medical colleges; and free vaccine and ration during the pandemic (the worldwide spread of a new disease; The illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area). The SP-RLD alliance is targeting the ruling government on the farm crisis in light of (taking into consideration, taking into account, bearing/keeping in mind, taking note of, in view of) the farmers’ agitation and is trying to build on (develop, enhance) the brotherhood (union, alliance, community/association/group) among farmers across caste and religious barriers (blockade, hurdle, obstacle, stumbling block, impediment, hindrance). Apart from Jats and Yadavs, it is expected to wean (to detach, disconnect, separate someone from depending on something) a chunk of (a significant amount of) Gurjars, another agrarian (relating to cultivating/farming) community, away from the BJP. It is raising issues of inflation (simply meaning “cost of living”; increase of price level of goods & services and vice versa decrease of currency value), particularly high electricity tariffs (a tax imposed by one country on the goods and services imported from another country), unemployment and stray (homeless, abandoned, wandering) cattle, an outcome of the emotive (controversial, contentious, emotional) cow protection drive (campaign, movement, effort, push). Consolidating its vote bank in the name of Hindutva, cultural nationalism (it refers to a system (with narrow set of ideas) created by a group of people who believe their nation is superior to all others. It is also a perception of national superiority and an orientation toward national dominance- called as chauvinism (excessive nationalism)), the Ram temple and Article 370, the BJP is also keen (eager, determined, desirous) to make a dent in the BSP’s Dalit vote bank to get over (overcome, surmount, prevail over, triumph over, get the better of, recover from) the losses made because of farmers’ agitation. Dalit leader and former Chief Minister Mayawati (BSP) has made a strong comeback (return) with a rally (meeting, mass meeting, gathering) in Agra, and hopes to win enough seats in the region to influence (affect, have an effect on) government formation.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.campaign (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रचार करना, अभियान
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.

2.lines (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पंक्तियां, तरीका, प्रणाली
English Meaning - way, system, method.

3.brisk (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - तेज, सक्रिय, व्यस्त, जीवंत
English Meaning - active, busy, vibrant, lively.

4.ruling (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सत्तारूढ़, शासन करना
English Meaning - reigning; incumbent; existing, present, current (in power).

5.on the defensive (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिरक्षात्मक स्थिति में
English Meaning - to protect yourself from possible criticism/attack by others.

6.dominance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रभाव, प्रभुत्व, अधिकार
English Meaning - domination, authority, influence.

7.alliance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गठबंधन, संधि, साझेदारी
English Meaning - coalition, association, union, partnership.

8.fray (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दंगा, प्रतियोगिता
English Meaning - competition, contest.

9.alongside (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - के साथ
English Meaning - together with.

10.abut (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सटा हुआ, सीमा पर एकत्रित होना
English Meaning - be adjacent to, adjoin, border.

11.evident (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रत्यक्ष, स्पष्ट
English Meaning - obvious, apparent, visible, noticeable, conspicuous.

12.resentment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नाराज़गी, जलन, असन्तोष
English Meaning - bitterness, indignation, irritation, displeasure, dissatisfaction, discontentment.

13.align with (verb)

Hindi Meaning - के साथ मिलाना, गठजोड़ करना
English Meaning - join up with, form an alliance with, combine with.

14.agenda (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्यसूची, योजना।
English Meaning - plan.

15.put forth/forward (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रस्ताव, उत्पन्न होना
English Meaning - propose, offer, submit, present, introduce, set forth (a plan/proposal for consideration).

16.belt (noun)

English Meaning - region, area, territory, neighbourhood, locality.

17.the die is cast (phrase)

English Meaning - something (a decision, a course of action, the future) has been determined that cannot be changed.

18.mobilise (verb)

English Meaning - (of resources) bring together for a specific cause.

19.entrant (noun)

English Meaning - new member, newcomer.

20.hotspot (noun)

English Meaning - a place of significant activity.

21.draw (verb)

English Meaning - obtain, extract, withdraw, take out.

22.plank (noun)

English Meaning - a fundamental point.

23.dignity (noun)

English Meaning - self-esteem, self-respect.

24.take aback (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - surprise, shock, stun, astonish.

25.momentum (noun)

English Meaning - strength, impetus.

26.polarise (verb)

English Meaning - separate into two opposing groups.

27.constitute (verb)

English Meaning - add up to, account for, represent.

28.overwhelmingly (adverb)

English Meaning - with a great majority; to a very great degree.

29.behaviour (noun)

English Meaning - conduct, way of acting, actions, practices.

30.leave no stone unturned (phrase)

English Meaning - to do every (single) thing possible in order to achieve something; not give up, be persistent, be determined.

31.consolidate (verb)

English Meaning - combine, unite, merge, integrate, bring together; strengthen, reinforce, fortify.

32.override (verb)

English Meaning - outweigh, supersede, offset, cancel out, be more important than.

33.tensions (noun)

English Meaning - strained relations; strain, stress, pressure, unease.

34.narrative (noun)

English Meaning - a representation of a particular situation; portrayal/account.

35.score (verb)

English Meaning - be successful, be a success, make an impression, have an impact; achieve, attain.

36.law and order (phrase)

English Meaning - the passing of laws and their strict implementation by police and the courts; lawfulness, peacefulness, harmony, non-aggression, non-violence.

37.pitch (noun)

English Meaning - an attempt to convince someone to accept something; patter, talk.

38.tinge (verb)

English Meaning - influence, affect, modify.

39.highlight (verb)

English Meaning - emphasize, underline, underscore, accentuate.

40.pandemic (noun)

English Meaning - the worldwide spread of a new disease; The illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area.

41.in light of (phrase)

English Meaning - taking into consideration, taking into account, bearing/keeping in mind, taking note of, in view of.

42.build on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - develop, enhance.

43.brotherhood (noun)

English Meaning - union, alliance, community/association/group.

44.barrier (noun)

English Meaning - blockade, hurdle, obstacle, stumbling block, impediment, hindrance.

45.wean (verb)

English Meaning - to detach, disconnect, separate someone from depending on something.

46.chunk of (noun)

English Meaning - a significant amount of.

47.agrarian (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to cultivating/farming.

48.inflation (noun)

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

49.tariff (noun)

English Meaning - a tax imposed by one country on the goods and services imported from another country.

50.stray (adjective)

English Meaning - homeless, abandoned, wandering.

51.emotive (adjective)

English Meaning - controversial, contentious, emotional.

52.drive (noun)

English Meaning - campaign, movement, effort, push.

53.nationalism (noun)

English Meaning - it refers to a system (with narrow set of ideas) created by a group of people who believe their nation is superior to all others. It is also a perception of national superiority and an orientation toward national dominance- called as chauvinism (excessive nationalism).

54.Article 370 of the Constitution of India (noun)

English Meaning - It had “temporary provisions with respect to the State of Jammu and Kashmir” which gave special powers to the state. The article allowed the state a certain amount of autonomy - its own constitution, a separate flag and freedom to make laws. Foreign affairs, defence and communications remained the preserve (domain) of the central government. It also allowed Jammu and Kashmir to make its own rules relating to permanent residency, ownership of property and fundamental rights. It did also bar Indians from outside the state from purchasing property or settling there.

55.keen (adjective)

English Meaning - eager, determined, desirous.

56.dent (noun)

English Meaning - reduction, depletion, deduction.

57.get over (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - overcome, surmount, prevail over, triumph over, get the better of, recover from.

58.comeback (noun)

English Meaning - return.

59.rally (noun)

English Meaning - meeting, mass meeting, gathering.

60.influence (verb)

English Meaning - affect, have an effect on.