Rights and wrongs: On the fundamental right to peaceful assembly and protest

The government must not clamp down on dissent (असहमति, विरोध) and protest

The Constitution (संविधान) of India guarantees (गारंटी देना, सुनिश्चित करना) all citizens the fundamental right (अधिकार, हक) to peaceful assembly and protest. The right to organise, assemble, and speak is at the core of (के केंद्र में, के मूल में) democracy, and the curtailment (कटौती, प्रतिबंध) of any of the fundamental rights (मौलिक अधिकार) is a curtailment of democracy (लोकतंत्र, जनतंत्र) itself. That being the promise (वादा, आश्वासन) of the Constitution to every citizen, regardless of (despite, notwithstanding, in spite of, irrespective of) gender (the socially constructed characteristics, norms, and roles of and between groups of women and men; sex, sexual category, sexual identity, biological sex), caste, or status (स्थिति, दर्जा), it is unsettling (बेचैन करने वाला) that the Government of India under (के अधीन, के नियंत्रण में) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is brazenly (बेशर्मी से, निर्लज्जतापूर्वक) knocking down those rights through (के माध्यम से) police high-handedness (the trait of using power or authority without considering the feelings or rights of others; arrogance, imperiousness, overbearingness, tyranny) across (throughout, all over, all through, spanning) the country, particularly (विशेष रूप से, खास तौर पर) in Delhi, the capital. Youth and student organisations, such as (for example or of a kind that; like, for instance, namely, to illustrate) the CJP, the AISA, SFI and AISF, had called for (to publicly ask for or demand something to happen; demand, request, appeal for, ask for) a peaceful protest on October 10. Instead of (as an alternative to or as a substitute for something; rather than, in place of, in lieu of, as an alternative to) ensuring peaceful assembly (a group of people gathered together in one place for a common purpose; gathering, congregation, convention, meeting), as per (in accordance with a rule, law, or request; according to, in accordance with, in line with, based on) the law of the land (all of the laws in force within a country or region; constitutional law, legal code, legal system, statutes), the Centre ordered a countrywide swoop (a sudden, large-scale police or military operation to arrest, detain, or apprehend people; raid, crackdown, surprise operation, mass arrest), where thousands of young people were taken into preventive detention (the detention of a person without trial to prevent them from acting in a manner prejudicial to the security of the State, the maintenance of public order, or the maintenance of essential supplies and services, as authorised by law and subject to constitutional safeguards under Article 22 of the Constitution of India; detention without trial, precautionary detention, pre-emptive detention) and Delhi was locked down (to place a person, place, or area under strict security and restricted movement; confine, secure, isolate, restrict) as if (as would be the case if; as though, seemingly, apparently, supposedly) under martial law (the temporary imposition of military authority over civilian affairs in a particular area, generally in conditions of severe disorder or an emergency requiring the restoration of public order; military rule, army rule, rule by military authorities. In the Constitution of India, Article 34 addresses certain legal consequences of martial law when it is in force in an area). Trains were cancelled and stopped, passengers waylaid (to stop or interrupt someone and detain them in conversation or trouble; intercept, ambush, hold up, accost), and journalists, activists (a person who campaigns to bring about political or social change; campaigner, advocate, champion, crusader), academics (scholar, intellectual, educator, academician), and lawyers assaulted (to make a physical attack on someone; attack, strike, hit, beat) and detained (to keep someone in official custody, typically for questioning about a crime; arrest, hold, confine, imprison), all in shocking (appalling, horrific, dreadful, outrageous) misuse (the wrong or improper use of something; abuse, misapplication, exploitation, mishandling) and weaponisation (the process of adapting or utilizing something as a tool to attack or gain an advantage over others; exploitation, manipulation, abuse) of the law against democracy itself. In the heart of (in the center of, in the middle of, at the core of, at the hub of) Delhi, police personnel (staff, employees, workforce, workers) without identification badges (a card or token showing the wearer’s name and affiliation, worn to confirm identity; ID card, name tag, identity card, pass) have been recorded on video (filmed, recorded, taped, captured on camera). What Delhi witnessed (observe, see, view, notice) on Saturday was a repeat (recurrence, replication), in a greater degree (more intensely, more severely, to a larger extent, significantly more), of the police high-handedness in July against youth protesters. Despite (in spite of, notwithstanding, regardless of, in the face of) video evidence of male police personnel assaulting women protesters during that episode (incident, event, occurrence, happening), months later, neither the government nor the Supreme Court of India has held anyone accountable for the law enforcement (the department of people who enforce laws, investigate crimes, and make arrests; police, constabulary, policing, security forces) excesses (an unacceptable or illegal action that goes beyond what is permitted or reasonable; brutality, outrage, violation, overstepping).

On October 9, the Court had said that a blanket (complete, comprehensive, absolute, sweeping) ban (an official or legal prohibition; prohibition, veto, embargo, restriction) on travel or assembly could not be allowed. But that is exactly what was done in Delhi, as people, including several former (previous, ex-, past) Chief Ministers, senior politicians, and lawyers, were rounded up (to gather people together systematically, often for detention; gather, assemble, herd, arrest) from around (originating from various parts of a particular area or place; from across, from various parts of, from all over, throughout) the city. On Sunday, the Court, in its hearing (trial, inquiry, inquest, tribunal), acknowledged (to accept or admit the existence or truth of something; admit, accept, recognize, concede) the urgency (pressing importance, exigency, necessity, promptness) and seriousness (gravity, severity, earnestness, significance) of the issue, and repeated its directives (an official or authoritative instruction; instruction, direction, command, order). But piecemeal (gradual, step-by-step, fragmented, disjointed) orders and half-hearted (without enthusiasm or energy; unenthusiastic, lukewarm, indifferent, apathetic) lamentations (an expression of sorrow, regret, or concern, especially one that fails to produce effective action; expressions of regret, complaints, expressions of sorrow, mourning) by the Court have had no restraining (restricting, controlling, checking, inhibiting) impact on a government that seems (appear, look, sound, give the impression) to be doubling down on its practice of branding (to describe someone or something as having a bad or shameful quality; label, categorize, stigmatize, mark) critics as foreign agents (spy, operative, mole, infiltrator) and anti-nationals (traitor, subverter, insurgent, rebel) instead of coming clean on its record (history, track record, background, past behavior). The BJP government is going this far (by a great deal, or to a great extent; significantly, considerably, greatly, very much) in defence of (acting to protect or support someone or something from attack or criticism; in support of, protecting, guarding, shielding) an official (officer, office-holder, administrator, bureaucrat) — the Chief Election Commissioner (the head of the Election Commission of India, appointed by the President under Article 324. (Until the statutory procedure introduced in 2023, there was no constitutionally prescribed Selection Committee; appointments were made by the President on the advice of the Union executive. Following the Supreme Court’s Anoop Baranwal judgment of March 2, 2023, an interim selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and Chief Justice of India was prescribed until Parliament enacted a law. The 2023 Act, effective from January 2, 2024, established the present Selection Committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.)) of India, Gyanesh Kumar. Instead of calling for accountability (responsibility, liability, answerability, culpability) from the Election Commission of India (A permanent, autonomous constitutional body established on 25 January 1950 under Article 324 of the Constitution to administer and ensure free and fair elections to the Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President), which has disenfranchised (to deprive someone of the right to vote; deprive of the vote, silence, marginalize, disempower) millions of Indians in a clear act of illegality (an illegal act or practice; unlawfulness, lawbreaking, crime, wrongdoing), the BJP and its central and State governments are deploying (to bring into effective action; utilize, use, employ, apply) the strong arm (the use of physical force, bullying, or coercion; force, coercion, heavy-handedness, bullying) of the state (the civil government of a country; government, administration, regime, authorities) to defend (protect, shield, justify, support) him. That itself suggests (to put forward for consideration; indicate, hint, propose, intimate) that Mr. Kumar’s relationship with the BJP is different from his relationship with all other parties. The Modi government should play by the rules (to behave fairly and follow the established regulations or conventions; follow the rules, act fairly, conform, abide by the law), and not misuse power against citizens.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.right (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अधिकार, हक
English Meaning - a moral or legal entitlement to have or do something; entitlement, privilege, prerogative, claim.

2.dissent (noun)

Hindi Meaning - असहमति, विरोध
English Meaning - disagreement, opposition, disapproval, objection.

3.the Constitution (proper noun)

Hindi Meaning - संविधान
English Meaning - the supreme law of India, laying down the fundamental political code, structure, powers and procedures of government institutions, and providing for fundamental rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy. It was adopted, enacted and given to ourselves by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949, and its remaining provisions came into force on January 26, 1950, marking the commencement of the Constitution of India.

4.guarantee (verb)

Hindi Meaning - गारंटी देना, सुनिश्चित करना
English Meaning - to provide a formal assurance or promise, especially that certain conditions shall be fulfilled; assure, promise, ensure, secure.

5.Fundamental Rights (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मौलिक अधिकार
English Meaning - the basic rights guaranteed under Part III (Articles 12–35) of the Constitution of India, including the Right to Equality (Articles 14–18), Right to Freedom (Articles 19–22, including Article 21A), Right against Exploitation (Articles 23–24), Right to Freedom of Religion (Articles 25–28), Cultural and Educational Rights (Articles 29–30), and the Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32).

6.at the core of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के केंद्र में, के मूल में
English Meaning - at the most important or central part of something; central to, fundamental to, crucial to, vital to.

7.democracy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - लोकतंत्र, जनतंत्र
English Meaning - a constitutional system of government in which political authority ultimately derives from the people and is exercised through elected representatives, with political equality, universal adult suffrage, and constitutional guarantees of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity; popular government, representative government, self-government, popular rule, self-rule.

8.curtailment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कटौती, प्रतिबंध
English Meaning - reduction, restriction, limitation, cutback.

9.promise (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वादा, आश्वासन
English Meaning - assurance, commitment, pledge, vow.

10.status (noun)

Hindi Meaning - स्थिति, दर्जा
English Meaning - rank, standing, position, level.

11.unsettling (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - बेचैन करने वाला
English Meaning - disturbing, disconcerting, alarming, worrying.

12.under (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - के अधीन, के नियंत्रण में
English Meaning - controlled, managed, or governed by someone or something; governed by, directed by, led by, subject to.

13.brazenly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - बेशर्मी से, निर्लज्जतापूर्वक
English Meaning - in a bold and shameless way; blatantly, shamelessly, openly, audaciously.

14.through (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - के माध्यम से
English Meaning - by means of a particular process or action; via, by means of, using, by way of.

15.particularly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - विशेष रूप से, खास तौर पर
English Meaning - especially, exceptionally, notably, specially.

16.high-handedness (noun)

English Meaning - the trait of using power or authority without considering the feelings or rights of others; arrogance, imperiousness, overbearingness, tyranny.

17.assembly (noun)

English Meaning - a group of people gathered together in one place for a common purpose; gathering, congregation, convention, meeting.

18.regardless of (phrase)

English Meaning - despite, notwithstanding, in spite of, irrespective of.

19.gender (noun)

English Meaning - the socially constructed characteristics, norms, and roles of and between groups of women and men; sex, sexual category, sexual identity, biological sex.

20.clamp down on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to take strict action to stop or limit something; suppress, restrict, curb, crack down on.

21.knock down (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to destroy or remove something completely, especially a right or a structure; demolish, dismantle, tear down, destroy.

22.across (preposition)

English Meaning - throughout, all over, all through, spanning.

23.such as (phrase)

English Meaning - for example or of a kind that; like, for instance, namely, to illustrate.

24.call for (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to publicly ask for or demand something to happen; demand, request, appeal for, ask for.

25.instead of (phrase)

English Meaning - as an alternative to or as a substitute for something; rather than, in place of, in lieu of, as an alternative to.

26.as per (phrase)

English Meaning - in accordance with a rule, law, or request; according to, in accordance with, in line with, based on.

27.law of the land (phrase)

English Meaning - all of the laws in force within a country or region; constitutional law, legal code, legal system, statutes.

28.swoop (noun)

English Meaning - a sudden, large-scale police or military operation to arrest, detain, or apprehend people; raid, crackdown, surprise operation, mass arrest.

29.take into (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to place someone in a particular state or condition, such as custody; put into, place into, bring into, commit to.

30.Preventive detention (noun)

English Meaning - the detention of a person without trial to prevent them from acting in a manner prejudicial to the security of the State, the maintenance of public order, or the maintenance of essential supplies and services, as authorised by law and subject to constitutional safeguards under Article 22 of the Constitution of India; detention without trial, precautionary detention, pre-emptive detention.

31.lock down (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to place a person, place, or area under strict security and restricted movement; confine, secure, isolate, restrict.

32.as if (phrase)

English Meaning - as would be the case if; as though, seemingly, apparently, supposedly.

33.Martial law (noun)

English Meaning - the temporary imposition of military authority over civilian affairs in a particular area, generally in conditions of severe disorder or an emergency requiring the restoration of public order; military rule, army rule, rule by military authorities. In the Constitution of India, Article 34 addresses certain legal consequences of martial law when it is in force in an area.

34.waylay (verb)

English Meaning - to stop or interrupt someone and detain them in conversation or trouble; intercept, ambush, hold up, accost.

35.activist (noun)

English Meaning - a person who campaigns to bring about political or social change; campaigner, advocate, champion, crusader.

36.academic (noun)

English Meaning - scholar, intellectual, educator, academician.

37.assault (verb)

English Meaning - to make a physical attack on someone; attack, strike, hit, beat.

38.detain (verb)

English Meaning - to keep someone in official custody, typically for questioning about a crime; arrest, hold, confine, imprison.

39.shocking (adjective)

English Meaning - appalling, horrific, dreadful, outrageous.

40.misuse (noun)

English Meaning - the wrong or improper use of something; abuse, misapplication, exploitation, mishandling.

41.weaponisation (noun)

English Meaning - the process of adapting or utilizing something as a tool to attack or gain an advantage over others; exploitation, manipulation, abuse.

42.in the heart of (phrase)

English Meaning - in the center of, in the middle of, at the core of, at the hub of.

43.personnel (noun)

English Meaning - staff, employees, workforce, workers.

44.identification badge (noun)

English Meaning - a card or token showing the wearer’s name and affiliation, worn to confirm identity; ID card, name tag, identity card, pass.

45.on video (phrase)

English Meaning - filmed, recorded, taped, captured on camera.

46.witness (verb)

English Meaning - observe, see, view, notice.

47.repeat (noun)

English Meaning - recurrence, replication.

48.in a greater degree (phrase)

English Meaning - more intensely, more severely, to a larger extent, significantly more.

49.despite (preposition)

English Meaning - in spite of, notwithstanding, regardless of, in the face of.

50.episode (noun)

English Meaning - incident, event, occurrence, happening.

51.Neither … nor (conjunction)

English Meaning - used to indicate that none of two alternatives is true or applicable; not … and not, nor … either.

52.hold someone accountable (phrase)

English Meaning - to consider someone responsible for an action or event and expect them to explain or justify it; make answerable, hold responsible, make liable, blame.

53.law enforcement (noun)

English Meaning - the department of people who enforce laws, investigate crimes, and make arrests; police, constabulary, policing, security forces.

54.excess (noun)

English Meaning - an unacceptable or illegal action that goes beyond what is permitted or reasonable; brutality, outrage, violation, overstepping.

55.blanket (adjective)

English Meaning - complete, comprehensive, absolute, sweeping.

56.ban (noun)

English Meaning - an official or legal prohibition; prohibition, veto, embargo, restriction.

57.former (adjective)

English Meaning - previous, ex-, past.

58.round up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to gather people together systematically, often for detention; gather, assemble, herd, arrest.

59.from around (phrase)

English Meaning - originating from various parts of a particular area or place; from across, from various parts of, from all over, throughout.

60.hearing (noun)

English Meaning - trial, inquiry, inquest, tribunal.

61.acknowledge (verb)

English Meaning - to accept or admit the existence or truth of something; admit, accept, recognize, concede.

62.urgency (noun)

English Meaning - pressing importance, exigency, necessity, promptness.

63.seriousness (noun)

English Meaning - gravity, severity, earnestness, significance.

64.directive (noun)

English Meaning - an official or authoritative instruction; instruction, direction, command, order.

65.piecemeal (adjective)

English Meaning - gradual, step-by-step, fragmented, disjointed.

66.half-hearted (adjective)

English Meaning - without enthusiasm or energy; unenthusiastic, lukewarm, indifferent, apathetic.

67.lamentation (noun)

English Meaning - an expression of sorrow, regret, or concern, especially one that fails to produce effective action; expressions of regret, complaints, expressions of sorrow, mourning.

68.restraining (adjective)

English Meaning - restricting, controlling, checking, inhibiting.

69.seem (verb)

English Meaning - appear, look, sound, give the impression.

70.double down on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to strengthen one’s commitment to a particular strategy or course of action, especially a risky one; commit to, reinforce, insist on, persist with.

71.brand (verb)

English Meaning - to describe someone or something as having a bad or shameful quality; label, categorize, stigmatize, mark.

72.foreign agent (noun)

English Meaning - spy, operative, mole, infiltrator.

73.anti-national (noun)

English Meaning - traitor, subverter, insurgent, rebel.

74.come clean on (phrase)

English Meaning - to be completely honest and confess something; confess to, admit to, own up to, tell the truth about.

75.record (noun)

English Meaning - history, track record, background, past behavior.

76.far (adverb)

English Meaning - by a great deal, or to a great extent; significantly, considerably, greatly, very much.

77.in defence of (phrase)

English Meaning - acting to protect or support someone or something from attack or criticism; in support of, protecting, guarding, shielding.

78.official (noun)

English Meaning - officer, office-holder, administrator, bureaucrat.

79.Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) (noun)

English Meaning - the head of the Election Commission of India, appointed by the President under Article 324. (Until the statutory procedure introduced in 2023, there was no constitutionally prescribed Selection Committee; appointments were made by the President on the advice of the Union executive. Following the Supreme Court’s Anoop Baranwal judgment of March 2, 2023, an interim selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and Chief Justice of India was prescribed until Parliament enacted a law. The 2023 Act, effective from January 2, 2024, established the present Selection Committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.)

80.accountability (noun)

English Meaning - responsibility, liability, answerability, culpability.

81.Election Commission of India (ECI) (noun)

English Meaning - A permanent, autonomous constitutional body established on 25 January 1950 under Article 324 of the Constitution to administer and ensure free and fair elections to the Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President.

82.disenfranchise (verb)

English Meaning - to deprive someone of the right to vote; deprive of the vote, silence, marginalize, disempower.

83.illegality (noun)

English Meaning - an illegal act or practice; unlawfulness, lawbreaking, crime, wrongdoing.

84.deploy (verb)

English Meaning - to bring into effective action; utilize, use, employ, apply.

85.strong arm (noun)

English Meaning - the use of physical force, bullying, or coercion; force, coercion, heavy-handedness, bullying.

86.state (noun)

English Meaning - the civil government of a country; government, administration, regime, authorities.

87.defend (verb)

English Meaning - protect, shield, justify, support.