Hindi English Translation || Editorial || No fait accompli: On the changes proposed in the Lok Sabha in Jammu and Kashmir

No fait accompli: On the changes proposed in the Lok Sabha in Jammu and Kashmir

Elections in J&K and restoration of Statehood (राज्य का दर्जा) should not be delayed further

It has been more than five and a half years since an elected government collapsed and Governor’s rule was imposed in Jammu & Kashmir amidst (के बीच, मध्यम में) the suspension (निलंबन) of the elected Assembly — a step that heralded (indicate, denote, usher in, portend, augur, signal, point to, pave the way for) dramatic changes in the erstwhile (भूतपूर्व) State. Subsequently, Article 370 that provided for special status for the erstwhile State was removed, the State bifurcated (विभाजित करना, दो शाखाओं में बांटना) with the region encompassing (include, take in, comprise, contain, subsume, incorporate) Jammu and the Kashmir Valley (a low area between hills or mountains typically with a river running through it. Valley is a metonym of Jammu & Kashmir in this context (Metonym is used as an alternative for something else with which it is closely related/associated)) made into a new Union Territory and Ladakh hived off (break away from, become separate, remove (from a group)) into another. The constitutionality (संवैधानिकता) of these changes is still under question and the Supreme Court has reserved (संरक्षित) its verdict on it. But this has not deterred (prevent, stop, block, restrain, hinder, impede, ward off, obstruct) the Union government from bringing about legislation that will change the make-up (structure, framework, composition, formation) of the UT’s prospective Legislative Assembly (विधान सभा) beyond the completion of the delimitation (the act of establishing limits or boundaries in a Treaty, Judgement or other Agreement) exercise. On Wednesday, the Lok Sabha passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023. These Bills do not necessarily (अनिवार्य रूप से) bring about (cause, lead to, result in, give rise to, produce) any significant change. The first increases the total number of Assembly seats from 107 to 114, with reservation (आरक्षण) of nine seats for Scheduled Tribes (a first), besides (के अलावा, के अतिरिक्त) empowering (सशक्त) the Lieutenant-Governor to effect (प्रभाव डालना) some nominations (नामांकन). The second seeks (try, aim, attempt) to replace the term “weak and underprivileged (disadvantaged, needy, poverty-stricken, impoverished, poor, destitute) classes (social castes)” in the J&K Reservation Act, 2004 (it provided reservation in jobs and admission in professional institutions to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and other socially and educationally backward classes), enacted by the State legislature, to “Other Backward Classes” as declared by the UT.

Propriety (conformity, morality, correctness/good manners) would have demanded that even these changes could have waited for the Supreme Court’s verdict, which is due (expected, awaited, anticipated, scheduled for) soon, on the legality of the abrogation (abolition, repeal, cancellation (of a law/agreement)) of special status besides the bifurcation (division of something into two branches or parts) of the erstwhile State and the procedure adopted (accept, embrace, approve, ratify, validate) to do so. Without the involvement (भागीदारी) of elected representatives (a member of a legislature (parliament/legislative assembly); legislator, lawmaker) from J&K in the process, the changes proposed in the Lok Sabha would only seem to be acts that are presented as fait accompli ((from French) an accomplished fact, something that has already occurred and cannot be changed) to the UT’s citizens. This should also be taken together with the fact that (used to refer to a specific situation under consideration/discussion) the last five and a half years have seen the suspension of political and civil liberties of politicians; arbitrary (capricious, personal (whim/choice), subjective, unmotivated, unreasonable, irrational, illogical, unjustifiable, groundless; tyrannical, autocratic, dictatorial, authoritarian, draconian, anti-democratic) arrests and detentions (confinement, imprisonment, incarceration, captivity, custody, internment); communication shutdowns (closure of a (complete) system; close down, closure, suspension, stoppage); a chilling (frightening, terrifying, disturbing/horrifying) effect on the media; and, more recently, long power cuts. Any change to the political life of J&K, citing its status as a region affected by separatism (dissension, nonconformity, dissent/faction) and terrorism, should not be done in a way that the citizens feel alienated (set apart, isolate, distance, detach, separate, disunite; estrange, make hostile/make unfriendly). The first order of business (the first task/job/situation that must be dealt with before anything else) in J&K has to be the restoration (bringing back, reinstitution, reinstallation, re-establishment, revival) of the democratic process by holding (arrange, conduct, organize, have) popular (popular) elections and the restoration of its Statehood. This should help not just fill a glaring (evident, flagrant, blatant, obvious) void in public life in the region in the immediate but also set the stage for (prepare the circumstances for the beginning of something) addressing (tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out) the long-pending issues that have led to the persistence (continuance, continuity, changelessness) of militancy (extremist, radical, sectarian group).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.statehood (noun)

Hindi Meaning - राज्य का दर्जा
English Meaning - the condition of being an independent state.

2.amidst (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - के बीच, मध्यम में
English Meaning - amid, in the middle of; during.

3.suspension (noun)

Hindi Meaning - निलंबन
English Meaning - termination, discontinuation, stoppage, cessation.

4.Legislative Assembly (noun)

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

5.erstwhile (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - भूतपूर्व
English Meaning - old, previous, former, then.

6.bifurcate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - विभाजित करना, दो शाखाओं में बांटना
English Meaning - split, divide, separate.

7.constitutionality (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संवैधानिकता
English Meaning - legitimacy, lawfulness, legality, rightness, reasonableness, justification, permissibility.

8.reserve (verb)

Hindi Meaning - संरक्षित
English Meaning - postpone, defer, put off, withhold, delay.

9.necessarily (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - अनिवार्य रूप से
English Meaning - inevitably, certainly, surely.

10.reservation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आरक्षण
English Meaning - a system of affirmative action in India that provides historically disadvantaged groups representation in education, employment, and politics.

11.besides (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - के अलावा, के अतिरिक्त
English Meaning - in addition, furthermore, moreover, further.

12.empower (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सशक्त
English Meaning - give someone the authority/power; enable, entitle, authorize, allow/permit.

13.effect (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रभाव डालना
English Meaning - bring about, cause to happen, carry out, execute, perform, make.

14.nomination (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नामांकन
English Meaning - candidacy, candidature; selection, choice, recommendation, naming, proposal.

15.involvement (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भागीदारी
English Meaning - participation, taking part, engagement, association.

16.fait accompli (noun)

English Meaning - (from French) an accomplished fact, something that has already occurred and cannot be changed.

17.restoration (noun)

English Meaning - bringing back, reinstitution, reinstallation, re-establishment, revival.

18.herald (verb)

English Meaning - indicate, denote, usher in, portend, augur, signal, point to, pave the way for.

19.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.

20.encompass (verb)

English Meaning - include, take in, comprise, contain, subsume, incorporate.

21.valley (noun)

English Meaning - a low area between hills or mountains typically with a river running through it. Valley is a metonym of Jammu & Kashmir in this context (Metonym is used as an alternative for something else with which it is closely related/associated).

22.hive off (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - break away from, become separate, remove (from a group).

23.deter (verb)

English Meaning - prevent, stop, block, restrain, hinder, impede, ward off, obstruct.

24.bring about (phrasal verb)

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

25.legalisation (noun)

English Meaning - the process or result of enacting/promulgating laws by a legislature; the making of laws.

26.make-up (noun)

English Meaning - structure, framework, composition, formation.

27.prospective (adjective)

English Meaning - possible, potential, likely, future, expected, upcoming, anticipated, awaited.

28.delimitation (noun)

English Meaning - the act of establishing limits or boundaries in a Treaty, Judgement or other Agreement.

29.demarcation (noun)

English Meaning - the physical marking of the boundary on the ground.

30.exercise (noun)

English Meaning - activity, task, work, operation.

31.pass (verb)

English Meaning - approve, vote for, accept, ratify, enact.

32.Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (noun)

English Meaning - It was first introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 26, 2023 and passed on Dec 06, 2023. The Bill amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The Act provides for the reorganisation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir (with legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature).

33.Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (noun)

English Meaning - The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was introduced in Lok Sabha on July 26, 2023 and passed on Dec 06, 2023. It amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004. The Act provides for reservation in jobs and admission in professional institutions to members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other socially and educationally backward classes. The amendment Bill suggests a change in the nomenclature of a section of people who were earlier described as “weak and under privileged classes (social castes)” to “other backward classes”.

34.seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, aim, attempt.

35.underprivileged (adjective)

English Meaning - disadvantaged, needy, poverty-stricken, impoverished, poor, destitute.

36.J&K Reservation Act, 2004 (noun)

English Meaning - it provided reservation in jobs and admission in professional institutions to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and other socially and educationally backward classes.

37.the legislature (noun)

English Meaning - a deliberative body of persons, usually elective, who are empowered to make, change, or repeal the laws of a country or state. India follows a bicameral (two chambers/parts) system at both the centre and state level.

38.propriety (noun)

English Meaning - conformity, morality, correctness/good manners.

39.due (adjective)

English Meaning - expected, awaited, anticipated, scheduled for.

40.abrogation (noun)

English Meaning - abolition, repeal, cancellation (of a law/agreement).

41.bifurcation (noun)

English Meaning - division of something into two branches or parts.

42.adopt (verb)

English Meaning - accept, embrace, approve, ratify, validate.

43.elected representative (noun)

English Meaning - a member of a legislature (parliament/legislative assembly); legislator, lawmaker.

44.act (noun)

English Meaning - law, statute, rule, regulation.

45.the fact that (phrase)

English Meaning - used to refer to a specific situation under consideration/discussion.

46.Civil Liberties/Part III Rights/Fundamental Rights (noun)

English Meaning - The Fundamental Rights, embodied in Part III of the Constitution, guarantee civil rights to all Indians and prevent the State from encroaching an individual’s liberty while simultaneously placing upon it an obligation to protect the citizens’ rights from encroachment by society. Seven fundamental rights were originally provided by the Constitution - the right to equality, right to freedom, right against exploitation, right to freedom of religion, cultural and educational rights, right to property and right to constitutional remedies. However, the right to property was removed from Part III of the Constitution by the 44th Amendment in 1978.

47.arbitrary (adjective)

English Meaning - capricious, personal (whim/choice), subjective, unmotivated, unreasonable, irrational, illogical, unjustifiable, groundless; tyrannical, autocratic, dictatorial, authoritarian, draconian, anti-democratic.

48.detention (noun)

English Meaning - confinement, imprisonment, incarceration, captivity, custody, internment.

49.shutdown (noun)

English Meaning - closure of a (complete) system; close down, closure, suspension, stoppage.

50.chilling (adjective)

English Meaning - frightening, terrifying, disturbing/horrifying.

51.cite (verb)

English Meaning - mention, refer to, point to, adduce, invoke, turn to, resort to.

52.separatism (noun)

English Meaning - dissension, nonconformity, dissent/faction.

53.alienate (verb)

English Meaning - set apart, isolate, distance, detach, separate, disunite; estrange, make hostile/make unfriendly.