Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Milestones and U-turns: On the government in its third term

Milestones and U-turns: On the government in its third term

The optics of the 100-day mark cannot conceal changed dynamics for the BJP

As their third term (कार्यकाल, अवधि) in office gathers pace, the Narendra Modi government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are eager (उत्सुक) to claim (दावा करना) a seamless (निर्बाध) continuity with the first two terms, as a mark (निशान, संकेत) of effective governance (शासन, प्रशासन) and leadership. The government and the party have used the arbitrary (मनमाना) 100-day milestone (मील का पत्थर) to showcase their achievements in various sectors, from renewable energy (नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा) to infrastructure (बुनियादी ढांचा), and the successes of welfare (कल्याण, सामाजिक सुरक्षा) schemes. They have also used the opportunity to pronounce that nothing has changed, despite the dependence of the government on a coalition (गठबंधन) in the 18th Lok Sabha. As if to prove the point that there is no rethink (पुनर्विचार) on any of its controversial agendas from the previous terms, the Union Cabinet, on Wednesday (September 18, 2024), approved a report by a committee headed by the former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, that has endorsed (समर्थन करना, अनुमोदन करना) a partisan (पक्षपातपूर्ण) BJP proposal for simultaneous (concurrent, coinciding, parallel, happening at the same time, side by side) elections to all State Assemblies and the Lok Sabha. The government has also made it clear that it will work towards a Uniform Civil Code (Uniform Civil Code or UCC is to provide one law for all the religious communities governing the issues of marriage, adoption, inheritance, divorce etc. Article 44 of the Indian constitution says, “The state shall endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code for the citizens throughout the territory of India.” Article 44 is one of the Directive Principles of State Policy, described in Part IV of the Constitution), and continue to push for the expansion of Hindi over English. BJP functionaries (office-holder, office-bearer, administrator, representative) are putting on a brave face but cannot wish away (to desire or hope that a problematic issue or situation will disappear without (you) doing anything about it) the new reality of coalition politics, and the changed dynamics (basic/fundamental cause or force that triggers change within a system) in the party and the larger Sangh Parivar since the results of the 2024 general election.

Stability and continuity at policy and political levels are signs of good governance, but so are negotiations (discussion, dialogue, meeting, talks, deliberation, consultation, conversation), compromises (agreement, understanding, settlement, middle ground, deal) and consensus (an idea or opinion that is shared by all the people in a group, agreement, concurrence) in a diverse (relating to the existence/presence of different people (from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives ranging from race to age to gender to hometown to educational experience) within group) democracy (a system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through fairly & freely elected representatives). In governance, as in driving, proactive and defensive approaches go together, and U-turns are wise when racing ahead can lead to (cause, result in to, bring about, give rise to) a collision (conflict, clash, opposition, disagreement). The BJP has quietly (silently) learnt this lesson, though it is unwilling (reluctant, hesitant, resistant, averse, disinclined) to own up (confess, admit to, accept, acknowledge) its own new flexibility (adjustability, adaptability, openness, changeability, versatility). Rigidity (inflexibility, strictness, sternness, toughness) has been talked up as a sign of virtuous (righteous, good, ethical, upright, high-minded, right-thinking, lawful) politics by strong man populism (related to policies that supposedly represent the opinions of ordinary people) around the world, and the BJP is now haunted (disturb, trouble, torture, beset, worry, burden, plague) by the ghost (spectre, phantom, spirit, shadow) of its own past bombast (rhetoric, loftiness, hyperbole/extravagant language). On some major policy issues, the BJP has made course corrections (the activity to modify, improve or rectify something (the plan of action)) after resistance (opposition, refusal to accept, disinclination to accept, confrontation, defiance) from allies and the Opposition. It has extended the consultation on the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, abandoned the new pension scheme and the proposed lateral entry ((in bureaucracy) a practice that involves recruiting individuals from outside the traditional government service cadres to fill mid and senior-level positions) scheme in the high bureaucracy (authorities, officials, officialdom, the people in charge, the administration, the establishment, the system, corridors of power). These are areas in need of (needing (something)) reforms, but they can be best achieved by openness (honesty, transparency, clarity, forthrightness, straightforwardness, unambiguity) and flexibility. The BJP’s rigidity (stiff, hard, firm, inflexible, unyielding, unchangeable) on issues has also begotten equally rigid resistance from the Opposition, which is no good for governance. Similarly, the BJP itself is increasingly (more and more, steadily more, continuously more, gradually more) becoming a coalition rather than (instead of) an ideological (relating to a system of ideas (ideology)) monolith (a very large thing). It is good that the leadership has realised this. It will be better if it also articulates (express, voice, communicate, convey, talk of, mention) this more honestly.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.milestone (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मील का पत्थर
English Meaning - a very significant stage or event in the development of something or someone.

2.term (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्यकाल, अवधि
English Meaning - tenure, period of/in office; period, time, stint, spell.

3.eager (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - उत्सुक
English Meaning - keen, enthusiastic, interested, zealous, passionate, earnest.

4.claim (verb)

Hindi Meaning - दावा करना
English Meaning - assert, affirm, state.

5.seamless (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - निर्बाध
English Meaning - flawless, smooth, ideal, faultless, consistent, continuous, immaculate, impeccable.

6.mark (noun)

Hindi Meaning - निशान, संकेत
English Meaning - sign, indication, evidence, proof.

7.governance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - शासन, प्रशासन
English Meaning - the act of governing something; administration.

8.arbitrary (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - मनमाना
English Meaning - random, capricious, whimsical, subjective, unpredictable, unreasoned, irrational.

9.renewable energy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा
English Meaning - green energy, clean energy; energy generated from natural resources (such as water, wind & solar energy).

10.infrastructure (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बुनियादी ढांचा
English Meaning - the basic physical or organisational structure or framework that a country or organization needs in order to function properly. For a whole nation, it includes all the physical systems such as buildings, roads & railways networks, utilities, etc.

11.welfare (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कल्याण, सामाजिक सुरक्षा
English Meaning - a government program that provides (financial) assistance to individuals and families in need; social security, government/state benefit, public assistance.

12.coalition (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गठबंधन
English Meaning - alliance, association, union, partnership.

13.rethink (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पुनर्विचार
English Meaning - reconsideration, review, re-examination, reassessment, re-evaluation, reappraisal.

14.endorse (verb)

Hindi Meaning - समर्थन करना, अनुमोदन करना
English Meaning - approve, authorize, support, uphold, ratify, sanction.

15.partisan (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - पक्षपातपूर्ण
English Meaning - biased, prejudiced, one-sided, discriminatory, preferential, bigoted, partial.

16.U-turn (noun)

English Meaning - reversal, reversal of policy, volte-face, about-face, change of mind, turnaround; withdrawal, pulling back, back down.

17.optics (noun)

English Meaning - the way in which something (political action/situation) is recognized by the general public.

18.dynamics (noun)

English Meaning - basic/fundamental cause or force that triggers change within a system.

19.gather pace (phrase)

English Meaning - accelerate, speed up, pick up speed, get moving.

20.prove a point (phrase)

English Meaning - to show that you are right or that you can do something.

21.simultaneous (adjective)

English Meaning - concurrent, coinciding, parallel, happening at the same time, side by side.

22.(Legislative) Assembly (noun)

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

23.make clear (phrase)

English Meaning - explain, elucidate, describe, spell out, clarify.

24.Uniform Civil Code (UCC) (noun)

English Meaning - Uniform Civil Code or UCC is to provide one law for all the religious communities governing the issues of marriage, adoption, inheritance, divorce etc. Article 44 of the Indian constitution says, “The state shall endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code for the citizens throughout the territory of India.” Article 44 is one of the Directive Principles of State Policy, described in Part IV of the Constitution.

25.functionary (noun)

English Meaning - office-holder, office-bearer, administrator, representative.

26.put a brave face on something (phrase)

English Meaning - try to be confident/happy despite the fact that you are actually in a difficult situation; pretence, masquerade, false display/front, facade, guise.

27.wish away (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to desire or hope that a problematic issue or situation will disappear without (you) doing anything about it.

28.negotiation (noun)

English Meaning - discussion, dialogue, meeting, talks, deliberation, consultation, conversation.

29.compromise (noun)

English Meaning - agreement, understanding, settlement, middle ground, deal.

30.consensus (noun)

English Meaning - an idea or opinion that is shared by all the people in a group, agreement, concurrence.

31.diverse (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the existence/presence of different people (from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives ranging from race to age to gender to hometown to educational experience) within group.

32.democracy (noun)

English Meaning - a system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through fairly & freely elected representatives.

33.lead to (verb)

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

34.collision (noun)

English Meaning - conflict, clash, opposition, disagreement.

35.quietly (adverb)

English Meaning - silently.

36.unwilling (adjective)

English Meaning - reluctant, hesitant, resistant, averse, disinclined.

37.own up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - confess, admit to, accept, acknowledge.

38.flexibility (noun)

English Meaning - adjustability, adaptability, openness, changeability, versatility.

39.rigidity (noun)

English Meaning - inflexibility, strictness, sternness, toughness.

40.talk up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - push, promote, boost, hype, publicize.

41.virtuous (adjective)

English Meaning - righteous, good, ethical, upright, high-minded, right-thinking, lawful.

42.populism (noun)

English Meaning - related to policies that supposedly represent the opinions of ordinary people.

43.haunt (verb)

English Meaning - disturb, trouble, torture, beset, worry, burden, plague.

44.ghost (noun)

English Meaning - spectre, phantom, spirit, shadow.

45.of one’s own (phrase)

English Meaning - belonging to oneself alone

46.bombast (noun)

English Meaning - rhetoric, loftiness, hyperbole/extravagant language

47.course correction (noun)

English Meaning - the activity to modify, improve or rectify something (the plan of action).

48.resistance (noun)

English Meaning - opposition, refusal to accept, disinclination to accept, confrontation, defiance.

49.ally (noun)

English Meaning - partner, supporter.

50. Waqf Act, 1995 (noun)

English Meaning - it regulates waqf property in India. It establishes Waqf Boards in each State to oversee the administration of waqf properties within their jurisdiction.

51.The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (noun)

English Meaning - The proposed amendments seek to significantly reform the law by enhancing the Centre’s regulatory authority over waqf properties and, for the first time, permitting the inclusion of non-Muslim members in Waqf Boards.

52.lateral entry (noun)

English Meaning - (in bureaucracy) a practice that involves recruiting individuals from outside the traditional government service cadres to fill mid and senior-level positions.

53.bureaucracy (noun)

English Meaning - authorities, officials, officialdom, the people in charge, the administration, the establishment, the system, corridors of power.

54.in need of (phrase)

English Meaning - needing (something).

55.openness (noun)

English Meaning - honesty, transparency, clarity, forthrightness, straightforwardness, unambiguity.

56.beget (verb)

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

57.rigid (adjective)

English Meaning - stiff, hard, firm, inflexible, unyielding, unchangeable.

58.increasingly (adverb)

English Meaning - more and more, steadily more, continuously more, gradually more.