THE HINDU EDITORIAL : FEBRUARY 11, 2019

THE HINDU EDITORIAL : FEBRUARY 11, 2019

Dear Banking Aspirants,

THE HINDU EDITORIAL – February 11, 2018, is one of the must-read section for the competitive exams like  NIACL AO Prelims Exam, IBPS SO Mains Exam. These topics are widely expected to be asked in the reading comprehension, Cloze Test or Error Detection in the forthcoming exams. So gear up your Exam preparation and learn new words daily.

A) Congress and cow: on M.P. govt’s use of NSA

The Madhya Pradesh government’s use of the NSA for cattle offences is out of line

The detention of five people under the National Security Act in Madhya Pradesh last week, all of them alleged to have committed offences related to cattle laws, amounts to gross misuse of a law meant solely to prevent activities that endanger the country’s security or public order. India has unfortunately become habituated to the abuse of preventive detention laws. In recent times, they have been wrongly invoked against political dissenters and vocal critics, with total disregard for constitutional freedoms. The latest instances point to a new form of misuse. This is possibly the first time that a law that provides for a maximum of one year in prison through an executive order without trial or bail is being used against those suspected of offences against cows. The implications are terrifying. It means that law-enforcers will stop at nothing to demonstrate ideological adherence to majoritarian beliefs. This poses a grave danger to the freedom of movement and vocation, as well as the dietary choices, of sections of society that do not share the majority community’s reverence for the cow. In the first case in Khandwa district, the police, who recovered a cow carcass, traced three men who had allegedly killed the animal. In the second case, authorities in Agar Malwa district claim there was some disturbance due to two men who were allegedly transporting cows. The ostensible reason to book them under the NSA is that they were likely to cause disruption of peace. This is too flimsy a ground to invoke so stringent a law, especially when there is no evidence of security or order being under grave threat.

In its order last year directing a series of measures against mob violence and public lynching, of which those transporting cows were frequent victims, the Supreme Court had warned against the dangers of a socio-political framework based on disrespect for an inclusive social order, and wanted the state to take preventive and remedial measures. In its apparent eagerness to prevent incidents that may lead to a communal backlash, the Madhya Pradesh government is detaining potential victims to prevent them from indulging in provocative acts! In invoking the NSA in respect of minor offences, solely out of fear of aggressive protests by right-wing Hindu groups, the Congress regime in Madhya Pradesh is displaying utter cravenness. It is not clear why the police is not content with prosecuting them under laws that ban cow slaughter. There is some unease among Congress leaders over these actions of the party’s new government in the State. However, it is not enough for the party to voice mild disapproval of the Kamal Nath regime’s actions: its leadership has to denounce the gross misuse of the law to mollify cow vigilantes and the short-sighted aim of neutralising the BJP’s campaign that the Congress is against Hindu beliefs. The State government must revoke the detention.

B) No zero-sum games: on India-U.S. trade hostilities

India and the U.S. must work to halt trade hostilities urgently

There are alarm bells in India over a possible decision by the U.S. Trade Representative to withdraw the Generalised System of Preferences status. Under this, India is able to export about 2,000 product lines to the U.S. under zero tariff. The revocation of the GSP, which was first extended to India in 1976 as part of a global concession by the U.S. to help developing countries build their economies, will be a blow to Indian exporters, and the biggest in a series of measures taken by the Trump administration against India to reduce its trade deficit. President Donald Trump’s case on what he calls “unequal tariffs” from India rests on the trade relationship in favour of India: Indian exports to the U.S. in 2017-18 stood at $47.9 billion, while imports were $26.7 billion. The measures are in line with Mr. Trump’s campaign promises. On the matter of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, he spoke directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on at least three occasions, demanding that India zero out tariffs to match U.S. rates on Indian motorcycles. In March 2018, the U.S. began imposing tariffs on several Indian products, and in April, the USTR began a review of India’s GSP status, based on complaints of trade barriers from India it had received from the dairy industry and manufacturers of medical devices. In November the U.S. withdrew GSP status on at least 50 Indian products.

In retaliation, India proposed tariffs of about $235 million on 29 American goods, but has put off implementing these five times in the past year in the hope that a negotiated trade settlement will come through. The latest deadline expires on March 1. India has also attempted to address the trade deficit with purchase of American oil, energy and aircraft. There have been dozens of rounds of talks between officials over the past few months, but no breakthrough. U.S. officials say the decision on data localisation for all companies operating in India, and the more recent tightening norms for FDI in e-commerce have aggravated the situation. Both sides should work towards calling a halt to trade hostilities and speed up efforts for a comprehensive trade “package”, rather than try to match each concern product by product. The U.S. must realise that India is heading into elections, and offer more flexibility in the next few months. India must keep in mind that the larger, global picture is about U.S.-China trade issues, and if a trade deal with the U.S. is reached, India could be the biggest beneficiary of business deals lost by China. The visit of U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to India this week will be watched not as much for substance, as for signals that New Delhi and Washington understand the urgency in breaking the deadlock.

VOCABULARY

1) alleged

Meaning : said, without proof, to have taken place or to have a specified illegal or undesirable quality(adj).

Tamil Meaning : கூறப்படும்

Synonyms : stated

Antonyms : certain

Example : “the alleged conspirators”

2) endanger

Meaning : put (someone or something) at risk or in danger(v).

Synonyms : expose

Antonyms : help

Example : “he was driving in a manner likely to endanger life”

3) dissenters

Meaning : a person who dissents(n).

Synonyms : skeptic

Antonyms : approver

Example : “the role of the dissenter is not for the weak-kneed”

4) invoked

Meaning : cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument(v).

Tamil Meaning : செயல்படுத்தப்படுகின்றது

Synonyms : conjure

Antonyms : answer

Example : “the antiquated defence of insanity is rarely invoked in England”

5) implications

Meaning : the conclusion that can be drawn from something although it is not explicitly stated(n).

Tamil Meaning : தாக்கங்கள்

Synonyms : conclusion

Antonyms : proof

Example : “the implication is that no one person at the bank is responsible”

6) adherence

Meaning : attachment or commitment to a person, cause, or belief(n).

Tamil Meaning : பின்பற்றுவது

Synonyms : attachment

Antonyms : inconstancy

Example : “a strict adherence to etiquette”

7) reverence

Meaning : deep respect for someone or something(n).

Synonyms : adoration

Antonyms : disregard

Example : “rituals showed honour and reverence for the dead”

8) ostensible

Meaning : stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so(adj).

Synonyms : plausible

Antonyms : improbable

Example : “the real dispute which lay behind the ostensible complaint”

9) disruption

Meaning : disturbance or problems which interrupt an event, activity, or process(n).

Tamil Meaning : இடையூறு

Synonyms : interruption

Example : “the scheme was planned to minimize disruption”

10) flimsy

Meaning : insubstantial and easily damaged(adj).

Synonyms : decrepit

Antonyms : strong

Example : “a flimsy barrier”

11) stringent

Meaning : (of regulations, requirements, or conditions) strict, precise, and exacting.

Tamil Meaning : கடுமையான

Synonyms : exacting

Antonyms : amenable

Example : “stringent guidelines on air pollution”

12) lynching

Meaning : (of a group of people) kill (someone) for an alleged offence without a legal trial, especially by hanging(v).

Synonyms : execution

Example : “her father had been lynched for a crime he didn’t commit”

13) detaining

Meaning : keep (someone) from proceeding by holding them back or making claims on their attention.

Synonyms : confine

Antonyms : liberate

Example : “she made to open the door, but he detained her”

14) indulging

Meaning : allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of(v).

Synonyms : entertain

Antonyms : deprive

Example : “we indulged in a cream tea”

15) provocative

Meaning : causing anger or another strong reaction, especially deliberately(adj).

Synonyms : insulting

Antonyms : pleasing

Example : “a provocative article”

16) craven

Meaning : contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly(adj).

Synonyms : cowardly

Antonyms : bold

Example : “a craven abdication of his moral duty”

17) prosecuting

Meaning : institute or conduct legal proceedings against (a person or organization)(v).

Synonyms : arraign

Antonyms : exonerate

Example : “they were prosecuted for obstructing the highway”

18) revoke

Meaning : officially cancel (a decree, decision, or promise)(v).

Tamil Meaning : திரும்பப்பெற

Synonyms : abrogate

Antonyms : approve

Example : “the men appealed and the sentence was revoked”

19) denounce

Meaning : publicly declare to be wrong or evil(v).

Synonyms : accuse

Antonyms : applaud

Example :”the Assembly denounced the use of violence”

20) apparent

Meaning : clearly visible or understood; obvious(adj).

Tamil Meaning : வெளிப்படையான

Synonyms : probable

Antonyms : unlikely

Example : “for no apparent reason she laughed”

21) revocation

Meaning : the official cancellation of a decree, decision, or promise(n).

Tamil Meaning : ரத்தானது

Synonyms : repeal

Antonyms : approval

Example : “for those who break the law, revocation of their liquor licence may result”

22) concession

Meaning : a thing that is granted, especially in response to demands(n).

Synonyms : permit

Antonyms : denial

Example : “the government was unwilling to make any further concessions”

23) imposing

Meaning : grand and impressive in appearance.

Synonyms : imperial

Antonyms : common

Example : “an imposing 17th-century manor house”

24) implementing

Meaning : put (a decision, plan, agreement, etc.) into effect(v).

Synonyms : achieve

Antonyms : fail

Example : “the scheme to implement student loans”

25) negotiated

Meaning : obtain or bring about by discussion(v).

Tamil Meaning :

Synonyms : arrange

Antonyms : contend

Example : “he negotiated a new contract with the sellers”

26) aggravated

Meaning : (of an offence) made more serious by attendant circumstances(adj).

Tamil Meaning : மேலும் மோசமானது

Synonyms : irritate

Antonyms : delight

Example : “aggravated burglary”

27) concern

Meaning : relate to; be about(v).

Synonyms : affair

Antonyms : pastime

Example : “the story concerns a friend of mine”

28) suspected

Meaning : have an idea or impression of the existence, presence, or truth of (something) without certain proof(v).

Synonyms : imagined

Example : “if you suspect a gas leak, do not turn on an electric light”

29) preventive

Meaning : designed to keep something undesirable such as illness or harm from occurring(adj).

Synonyms : defending

Antonyms : depriving

Example : “preventive medicine”

30) enforcerTHE HINDU EDITORIAL : FEBRUARY 11, 2019

Meaning : a person or group that compels observance of or compliance with a law, rule, or obligation(n).

Synonyms : stickler

Antonyms : contradictor

Example : “the city police’s role as enforcers of traffic rules will increase”

THE HINDU EDITORIAL : FEBRUARY 8, 2019