Hindi English Translation || Editorial || ​War cry: On the Opposition’s ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar

​War cry: On the Opposition’s ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar

In Bihar, the electoral process itself is an election issue

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar is drawing crowds and is turning out to be a platform for Opposition unity. In 16 days, the campaign would cover 1,300km across 20 districts and is to conclude in Patna on September 1. On August 27, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, joined Mr. Gandhi, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav and CPI-ML leader Dipankar Bhattacharya in Muzaffarpur. Mr. Stalin has accused (आरोप लगाना) the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of turning the Election Commission of India (ECI) into a puppet. NCP leader Sharad Pawar, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, senior leaders of the TMC and Left parties will be in Patna on the concluding day. Its merits apart, the allegation that an ECI scheme favours the BJP and disadvantages the Opposition has rattled (खड़खड़ाना) India’s political landscape. This alleged “vote chori (vote theft”) has become the Opposition’s central rallying cry. Mr. Gandhi’s speeches consistently (सुसंगत, लगातार, स्थिर) accuse the BJP of “manipulating institutions” and using the ECI as a puppet for its political ends. The Opposition has long been complaining about various aspects of the electoral process that have become less transparent and more partisan (पक्षपाती). Political battles should have been on the issues of governance and livelihoods, and not on the integrity (ईमानदारी, अखंडता) of the elections at all.

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and the demonstrable (सिद्ध करने योग्य) loopholes (A mistake in law or rule that allows someone to escape its effect) in electoral rolls, exposed by Mr. Gandhi through an analysis of one Assembly constituency in Karnataka, have given the Opposition allegation a strong handle. The ECI, through its conduct and responses, has added credence to the allegations. It has claimed that over 98% of the voters in the existing list have submitted an enrolment form as required in the Bihar SIR. Around 65 lakh names from the previous list have been removed from the draft list published. It took an order by the Supreme Court for the ECI to accept the Aadhaar card as an acceptable document for establishing identity. Mr. Gandhi alleges that the names being removed are predominantly (मुख्य रूप से) those of the poor, Dalits, Other Backward Classes, Extremely Backward Classes and minorities, a larger proportion of whom vote for non-BJP parties. Electoral malpractice (कदाचार) has united the Opposition, but the charges, much of them overblown (बढ़ा-चढ़ाकर), are a sign of institutional distrust and rot. The Opposition space has been severely restricted by the brazen and arbitrary use of central law enforcement agencies, and the ECI has done little to demonstrate its impartiality. All of this has left the Opposition with an approach of discrediting (बदनाम करना) the electoral process, which in itself is a sad commentary on India’s democracy.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Accuse (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - आरोप लगाना
English Meaning - To blame someone for a crime or wrongdoing.

2.Rattle (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - खड़खड़ाना
English Meaning - To make a rapid, repeated noise; to disturb or unnerve someone.

3.Consistent (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सुसंगत, लगातार, स्थिर
English Meaning - Acting in the same way over time; reliable.

4.Partisan (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - पक्षपाती
English Meaning - Strong supporter of a party, cause, or person, often biased.

5.Integrity (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - ईमानदारी, अखंडता
English Meaning - Honesty, moral uprightness, strong principles.

6.Demonstrable (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सिद्ध करने योग्य
English Meaning - Able to be shown or proved.

7.Predominantly (Adverb)

Hindi Meaning - मुख्य रूप से
English Meaning - Mainly, mostly.

8.Malpractice (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - कदाचार
English Meaning - Improper, illegal, or negligent professional conduct.

9.Overblown (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - बढ़ा-चढ़ाकर
English Meaning - Made to seem more important than it really is; exaggerated.

10.Discredit (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - बदनाम करना
English Meaning - To harm someone’s reputation or to cause doubt about truth.

11.Loophole (Noun)

English Meaning - A mistake in law or rule that allows someone to escape its effect.

12.Alligation (Noun)

English Meaning - A claim that someone has done something wrong, often without proof.