Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Forest pitch: On the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections

Forest pitch: On the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections

Corruption and communalism (सांप्रदायिकता) may trump livelihood (आजीविका) issues in Chhattisgarh

In Chhattisgarh, the ruling Congress has built an election plank (a fundamental point) with a mix of regional pride and welfarism (कल्याणवाद). The Bharatiya Janata Party, its principal opponent (प्रतिद्वंद्वी, विरोधी), is targeting the government on corruption and non-fulfilment of election promises made five years ago. The Congress’s attempts to build a narrative (a representation of a particular situation; portrayal, account, description, statement) around Chhattisgarhi sub-nationalism (उपराष्ट्रवाद) have made regional identity (पहचान) a key electoral theme (subject, matter, topic, issue) for the first time since the State was formed in 2000. The party is also relying on (पर निर्भर होना) its direct benefit transfer (प्रत्यक्ष लाभ अंतरण) schemes such as the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana or the Godhan Nyay Yojana, or higher prices on minor forest produce (all agricultural products) that cover a major chunk (a significant/large amount of something; a thick, solid piece of something) of the rural and tribal populace (आबादी, जन साधारण). Rural housing is another issue that has been hotly (vehemently, vigorously, strenuously, fiercely) contested (debate, argue about, dispute, quarrel over) with both sides accusing the other of being ineffective (अप्रभावी, असफल) and insensitive (heartless, unfeeling, inconsiderate, thoughtless, unconcerned, unresponsive, unsympathetic) in this regard. A government survey that has pegged (fix, set, hold, limit (a price, rate, or amount) at a particular level) the share of Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the State’s population at 43.5% forms the backdrop (पृष्ठभूमि) to the Congress’s special focus on the social group. The BJP has fielded (nominate, propose, put up (a candidate) to stand in an election) OBC representatives in nearly two-thirds of the general seats. In the 90-strong Assembly, 10 seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 29 for Scheduled Tribes. Nine of 13 candidates announced by the Congress for general seats are from OBCs. Both parties exhibit their commitment towards OBCs, and tribes people who form nearly a third of the population seem to get less attention (ध्यान).

The BJP has accused the government of large-scale corruption. The Enforcement Directorate (प्रवर्तन निदेशालय) is conducting a multitude (a lot, a great/large number, a great quantity) of probes that entangle (उलझाना) bureaucrats (officer, administrator, official, functionary, mandarin) and other individuals linked to the government or the Congress party, including Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s close aides (companion, close friend, confidant, right-hand person). The Congress dismisses (reject, deny, disregard, spurn, repudiate, shrug off) these allegations (accusation, charge, indictment) and accuses the Centre of running (do, perform, organize, execute, implement, carry out) a witch-hunt (it means to find and punish people believed to be evil- even if they were not. It does also mean an unfair campaign by one side against its political opponents) against it. By fielding the father of a young man who died in communal riots and another riot accused against the lone Muslim face of the Baghel cabinet, the BJP has indicated that it is aiming at polarisation (separation of two contrasting groups (based on different opinions/beliefs)). The party is facing disenchantment (disappointment, dissatisfaction, discontent, disgruntlement, unhappiness) among its workers who complain that too many old faces have been fielded again. The Congress, in its first list of 30, has dropped eight sitting Members of the Legislative Assembly (विधान सभा) and can expect some rebellion (defiance, resistance, dissent, disobedience, nonconformity) in the ranks (the people belonging to a group) too. Both parties claim credit (praise, commendation, admiration, recognition, acclaim, merit, appreciation) for the reduction in violence in the insurgency-hit (affected badly by rebellion/revolt) Bastar region, but a new political entrant (new member, newcomer), the Hamar Raj party, is hoping to harness (use, make use of, utilize, capitalize on, exploit, mobilize) tribal discontent (dissatisfaction, disaffection, disgruntlement, grievances, unhappiness, displeasure) against both. A rejuvenated (revived, re-energized, reconstructed, reorganized, regenerated, resuscitated, reinvigorated, revamped) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the declining (deteriorating, moribund, waning, dying, decaying, stagnant/weak) Janta Congress Chhattisgarh founded by the late Ajit Jogi, and the Bahujan Samaj Party are also in the fray (competition, contest), but the contest will likely (probably, presumably, potentially, doubtlessly) remain between the Congress and the BJP.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Legislative Assembly (noun)

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

2.communalism (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सांप्रदायिकता
English Meaning - adherence/obedience to one’s own ethnic group (against the principle/practice of living together in wider society).

3.livelihood (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आजीविका
English Meaning - means of making a living with the basic necessities (food, water, shelter and clothing); means of support, subsistence, source of income.

4.welfarism (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कल्याणवाद
English Meaning - the principles/policies of a welfare state.

5.opponent (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिद्वंद्वी, विरोधी
English Meaning - adversary, opposition, fellow contestant, rival.

6.sub-nationalism (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उपराष्ट्रवाद
English Meaning - support for interests of a particular region within a nation/country.

7.identity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पहचान
English Meaning - a social category, a set of persons marked by a label and distinguished by rules deciding membership and (alleged) characteristic features or attributes; individuality, character, originality.

8.rely on (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - पर निर्भर होना
English Meaning - depend on, count on, bank on.

9.Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रत्यक्ष लाभ अंतरण
English Meaning - a scheme launched by Government of India on 1 January 2013 to transfer the benefits and subsidies of various social welfare schemes like LPG subsidy, MNREGA payments, Old Age Pension, Scholarships etc. directly in the bank account of the beneficiary.

10.populace (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आबादी, जन साधारण
English Meaning - population, people, inhabitants, residents.

11.ineffective (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अप्रभावी, असफल
English Meaning - unsuccessful, unproductive, fruitless, failed, purposeless, worthless, futile, useless.

12.backdrop (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पृष्ठभूमि
English Meaning - situation, scenario, context.

13.attention (noun)

Hindi Meaning - ध्यान
English Meaning - notice, regard, recognition, heed (as interesting or important).

14.Enforcement Directorate (ED) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रवर्तन निदेशालय
English Meaning - Directorate of Enforcement is a specialized financial investigation agency under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India. It was established in the year 1956 with its Headquarters at New Delhi. It is responsible for enforcement of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) (Civil Law) and certain provisions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) (Criminal Law).

15.entangle (verb)

Hindi Meaning - उलझाना
English Meaning - involve in a tough situation; involve, implicate enmesh, mix up, embroil, catch up, bog down.

16.pitch (noun)

English Meaning - a way of talking when attempting to convince someone to buy or accept something.

17.trump (noun)

English Meaning - beat, outdo, outperform, do/be better than.

18.plank (noun)

English Meaning - a fundamental point.

19.narrative (noun)

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

20.theme (noun)

English Meaning - subject, matter, topic, issue.

21.produce (noun)

English Meaning - all agricultural products.

22.chunk (noun)

English Meaning - a significant/large amount of something; a thick, solid piece of something.

23.hotly (adjective)

English Meaning - vehemently, vigorously, strenuously, fiercely.

24.contest (verb)

English Meaning - debate, argue about, dispute, quarrel over.

25.insensitive (adjective)

English Meaning - heartless, unfeeling, inconsiderate, thoughtless, unconcerned, unresponsive, unsympathetic.

26.in this regard (phrase)

English Meaning - relating to something (a point, issue, matter or topic) you have just mentioned.

27.peg (at) (verb)

English Meaning - fix, set, hold, limit (a price, rate, or amount) at a particular level.

28.field (verb)

English Meaning - nominate, propose, put up (a candidate) to stand in an election.

29.multitude (noun)

English Meaning - a lot, a great/large number, a great quantity.

30.bureaucrat (noun)

English Meaning - officer, administrator, official, functionary, mandarin.

31.aide (noun)

English Meaning - companion, close friend, confidant, right-hand person.

32.dismiss (verb)

English Meaning - reject, deny, disregard, spurn, repudiate, shrug off.

33.allegation (noun)

English Meaning - accusation, charge, indictment.

34.run (verb)

English Meaning - do, perform, organize, execute, implement, carry out.

35.witch-hunt (noun)

English Meaning - it means to find and punish people believed to be evil- even if they were not. It does also mean an unfair campaign by one side against its political opponents.

36.lone (adjective)

English Meaning - only, sole.

37.polarisation (noun)

English Meaning - separation of two contrasting groups (based on different opinions/beliefs).

38.disenchantment (noun)

English Meaning - disappointment, dissatisfaction, discontent, disgruntlement, unhappiness.

39.rebellion (noun)

English Meaning - defiance, resistance, dissent, disobedience, nonconformity.

40.ranks (noun)

English Meaning - the people belonging to a group.

41.credit (noun)

English Meaning - praise, commendation, admiration, recognition, acclaim, merit, appreciation.