THE HINDU EDITORIAL : NOVEMBER 24, 2018

Dear Banking Aspirants,

THE HINDU EDITORIAL – November 24, 2018, is one of the must-read section for the competitive exams like  IBPS Clerk 2018, Canara Bank PO – PGDBF 2018 and IBPS SO 2018. 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.

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A) Corridor of hope: On the Kartarpur proposal

Movement on the Kartarpur proposal is timely and potentially game-changing

The announcement by India and Pakistan of plans to operationalise a visa-free corridor between Dera Baba Nanak in Indian Punjab and Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan’s Punjab heeds a longstanding plea of Sikh pilgrims. That demand had gathered pace in 1995, when Pakistan renovated the Kartarpur gurdwara, situated on the site on the bank of the Ravi where the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, spent his last 18 years. Leaders from both sides, including Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Benazir Bhutto, had pushed for it. In their effort to facilitate travel by Sikhs to important shrines on both sides of the border, they were also alert to the potential of such a move to heal ties amongst their people, and promote dialogue between the two governments. Given its easy logistics, the 4-km-long Kartarpur corridor is a low-hanging fruit as a meaningful confidence-building measure. The announcement now is particularly timely, with the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak falling in November 2019. The initiative can also become a template for cross-border exchanges based on faith, which could provide a balm for many communities such as Kashmiri Pandits, who have long asked for access to visit the Sharda Peeth in the Neelum Valley in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir; Sufis in Pakistan who wish to visit the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, Rajasthan; and Sikhs in India and Pakistan wanting to visit important shrines on both sides of the border.

Much will depend on how quickly India and Pakistan act on their commitment, once President Ram Nath Kovind lays the foundation stone at the corridor’s India end on November 26, and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan does so at the other end on November 28. Even more will depend on how the two governments manage their relationship in a way that avoids making pilgrims a pawn in bilateral tensions. Recently, there was an ugly and unnecessary controversy when Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa revived the Kartarpur proposal in a conversation with Navjot Singh Sidhu, a Minister in the Congress government in Punjab, at Mr. Khan’s swearing-in ceremony in August. This had set back bilateral ties, threatening progress on the project proposal. Going forward, it is important that issues related to the corridor are managed in a non-political manner and details left to diplomats and officials to sort out — for instance, the issue of Indian consular access to pilgrims, which flared up on Friday. Given the bilateral freeze, the Kartarpur project will compel India and Pakistan to engage in a positive and purposeful manner, at a time when few other avenues for engagement exist. It is a reminder that dialogue and search for areas of concord are the only way forward for both countries.

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B) Rolling back: On Poland judiciary crisis

Poland’s ultra-conservative regime finally reverses the forced retirement of judges

The Polish government’s decision to rescind the forced retirement of several Supreme Court judges is a welcome sign of its willingness to improve compliance with the rule of law. This could begin a process to resolve the stand-off between Poland’s Law and Justice party (PiS) government and the European Union. The decision to reverse the contested provision in the law, introduced in July, follows the European Court of Justice (ECJ) order last month to suspend the measure. The European Commission had earlier asked the Luxembourg-based institution to freeze the retirement move, pending a final ruling on whether Poland’s judicial overhaul was at odds with the bloc’s common policies. Brussels has in parallel launched a formal probe into Warsaw’s adherence to “fundamental European values”. Poland’s Supreme Court too had referred the contested provision to the ECJ to ascertain that there was no discrepancy between the national and European statutes. But the referral drew flak from PiS apparatchiks, who regard criticism of domestic policies by the EU as encroachment on Poland’s sovereignty. Since winning a commanding majority in 2015, the ultra-conservative government has undermined media freedoms and democratic institutions. The lower age of retirement, which in effect removed a third of the judges, was seen as part of a design to politicise the judiciary. This followed the subversion of the constitutional tribunal, which adjudicates the validity of laws. A 2018 statute that criminalises references to Nazi atrocities too drew condemnation as an assault on freedom of expression.

Poland’s principal pro-European opposition party, the Civic Platform, characterises the regressive laws as part of the government’s design to pull the country out of the EU. Its improved performance in the October regional elections may well have forced the government to reconsider some of its policies. The PiS will also be keen to project a moderate face ahead of the 2019 polls to the European and Polish parliaments. Developments in Warsaw will be watched closely in the other three Visegrád countries, notably Hungary, where the government’s stridently populist stance has brought it into open confrontation with Brussels. In fact, Poland and Hungary face a legal challenge at the Luxembourg court over non-compliance with the policy to share responsibility for the treatment of Syrian migrants. A refrain from these governments has been that the institutional reforms were meant to complete the post-socialist transition. But such an explanation does not wash with civil society, judging from the opposition to the authoritarian lurch. As the biggest beneficiary of EU funds in the current budget cycle, Poland has an interest in improving its standing with an eye on future allocations. As it commemorates a century since gaining independence, it is time the country looked ahead.

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VOCABULARY

1) heeds

Meaning : pay attention to; take notice of.(v)

Tamil Meaning : கவனம்

Synonyms : notice

Antonyms : ignore

Example : “he should have heeded the warnings”

2) plea

Meaning : a request made in an urgent and emotional manner.(n)

Tamil Meaning : மனு

Synonyms : entreaty

Antonyms : decision

Example : “he made a dramatic plea for disarmament”

3) pilgrims

Meaning : travel or wander like a pilgrim(v).

Tamil Meaning : யாத்ரீகர்கள்

Synonyms : monks

Example : “he pilgrimed to his old sporting places”

4) renovated

Meaning : restore (something old, especially a building) to a good state of repair(v).

Tamil Meaning : புதுப்பிக்கப்பட்டு

Synonyms : restored

Antonyms : deteriorated

Example : “the old school has been tastefully renovated as a private house”

5) shrines

Meaning : a place regarded as holy because of its associations with a divinity or a sacred person or relic, marked by a building or other construction(n).

Tamil Meaning : சந்நிதிகள்

Synonyms : sanctuaries

Example : “the medieval pilgrim route to the shrine of St James”

6) heal

Meaning : cause (a wound, injury, or person) to become sound or healthy again(v).

Tamil Meaning : குணமடைய

Synonyms : recover

Antonyms : injure

Example : “his concern is to heal sick people”

7) pawn

Meaning : a person used by others for their own purposes.

Synonyms : mortgage

Antonyms : compensate

Example : “he was a pawn in the game of power politics”

8) controversy

Meaning : prolonged public disagreement or heated discussion(n).

Tamil Meaning : சர்ச்சை

Synonyms : dispute

Antonyms : harmony

Example : “the design of the building has caused controversy”

9) revived

Meaning : restore to life or consciousness.

Tamil Meaning : புத்துயிர்

Synonyms : reanimated

Antonyms : drained

Example : “both men collapsed, but were revived”

10) swearing

Meaning : the use of offensive language(n).

Tamil Meaning : பதவியேற்பது

Synonyms : cursing

Antonyms : sanctification

Example : “there’s a lot of swearing in the show”

11) diplomats

Meaning : an official representing a country abroad.

Tamil Meaning : தூதர்கள்

Synonyms : envoys

Antonyms : fighters

Example : “a British diplomat working in our consulate in Germany”

12) consular

Meaning : relating to the consul or consulate in a foreign city(adj).

Tamil Meaning : துணைத்தூதரக

Synonyms : diplomat

Antonyms : apolitical

Example : “a consular official must interview applicants”

13) flared

Meaning : burn or shine with a sudden intensity(v).

Tamil Meaning : தழுவிய

Synonyms : glowed

Antonyms : tapered

Example : “the bonfire crackled and flared up“

14) avenues

Meaning : a broad road in a town or city, typically having trees at regular intervals along its sides.(n)

Synonyms : paths

Antonyms : egresses

Example : “tree-lined avenues surround the hotel”

15) concord

Meaning : agreement or harmony between people or groups.

Synonyms : harmony

Antonyms : conflict

Example : “a pact of peace and concord”

16) rescind

Meaning : revoke, cancel, or repeal (a law, order, or agreement).(v)

Tamil Meaning : இரத்து

Synonyms : cancel

Antonyms : allow

Example : “the government eventually rescinded the directive”

17) resolve

Meaning : settle or find a solution to (a problem or contentious matter).(v)

Tamil Meaning : தீர்க்க

Synonyms : decide

Antonyms : uncertainty

Example : “the firm aims to resolve problems within 30 days”

18) contested

Meaning : engage in competition to attain (a position of power).

Tamil Meaning : போட்டியிட்ட

Synonyms : disputed

Antonyms : opted

Example : “she declared her intention to contest the presidency”

19) freeze

Meaning : an act of holding or being held at a fixed level or in a fixed state.(n)

Synonyms : fix

Antonyms : boil

Example : “workers faced a pay freeze”

20) overhaul

Meaning : take apart (a piece of machinery or equipment) in order to examine it and repair it if necessary.

Synonyms : repair

Antonyms : break

Example : “the steering box was recently overhauled”

21) probe

Meaning : a thorough investigation into a crime or other matter.

Tamil Meaning : ஆய்வு

Synonyms : examine

Antonyms : glimpse

Example : “a probe into city hall corruption”

22) adherence

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

Tamil Meaning : பின்பற்றுவது

Synonyms : attachment

Antonyms : detachment

Example : “a strict adherence to etiquette”

23) ascertain

Meaning : find (something) out for certain; make sure of(v) .

Tamil Meaning : அறிந்துகொள்ள

Synonyms : determine

Antonyms : disregard

Example : “an attempt to ascertain the cause of the accident”

24) discrepancy

Meaning : an illogical or surprising lack of compatibility or similarity between two or more facts.(n)

Tamil Meaning : முரண்பாடு

Synonyms : disparity

Antonyms : harmony

Example : “there’s a discrepancy between your account and his”

25) statutes

Meaning : a written law passed by a legislative body.

Tamil Meaning : சட்டங்கள்

Synonyms : laws

Example : “the Act consolidated statutes dealing with non-fatal offences”

26) commemorates

Meaning : recall and show respect for (someone or something).

Tamil Meaning : நினைவாக

Synonyms : memorializes

Antonyms : neglects

Example : “a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the war dead”

27) encroachment

Meaning : intrusion on a person’s territory, rights, etc.(n)

Tamil Meaning : அத்துமீறல்

Synonyms : invasion

Antonyms : cover

Example : “minor encroachments on our individual liberties”

28) sovereignty

Meaning : supreme power or authority.

Tamil Meaning : இறையாண்மை

Synonyms : monarchy

Antonyms : servitude

Example : “the sovereignty of Parliament”

29) criticism

Meaning : the expression of disapproval of someone or something on the basis of perceived faults or mistakes(n).

Tamil Meaning : திறனாய்வு

Synonyms : censure

Antonyms : blessing

Example : “he received a lot of criticism”

30) undermined

Meaning : erode the base or foundation of (a rock formation).

Tamil Meaning : சிதைந்துள்ளது

Synonyms : sapped

Antonyms : supported

Example : “the flow of water had undermined pillars supporting the roof”

31) subversion

Meaning : the undermining of the power and authority of an established system or institution(n).

Tamil Meaning : கவிழ்ப்பு

Synonyms : sabotage

Antonyms : allegiance

Example : “the ruthless subversion of democracy”

32) adjudicates

Meaning : make a formal judgement on a disputed matter.

Tamil Meaning : தீர்ப்பளிப்பதை

Synonyms : arbitrates

Antonyms : defers

Example : “the Committee adjudicates on all betting disputes”

33) atrocities

Meaning : an extremely wicked or cruel act, typically one involving physical violence or injury.

Synonyms : outrages

Antonyms : delights

Example : “a textbook which detailed war atrocities”

34) condemnation

Meaning : the expression of very strong disapproval; censure.

Tamil Meaning : கண்டனம்

Synonyms : censure

Antonyms : gratitude

Example : “there was strong international condemnation of the attack”

35) regressive

Meaning : returning to a former or less developed state; characterized by regression.

Tamil Meaning : பின்னடை

Synonyms : backward

Antonyms : progressive

Example : “regressive aspects of recent local government reform”

36) lurch

Meaning : make an abrupt, unsteady, uncontrolled movement or series of movements; stagger.

Tamil Meaning : பாய்ந்துள்ளதைய

Synonyms : stumble

Antonyms : retreat

Example : “the car lurched forward”

37) stridently

Meaning : in an extremely forceful way.

Synonyms : harshly

Antonyms : covertly

Example : “I stridently opposed the policies of the government”

38) stance

Meaning : the way in which someone stands, especially when deliberately adopted (as in cricket, golf, and other sports); a person’s posture.

Tamil Meaning : நிலைப்பாடு

Synonyms : posture

Antonyms : unsteadiness

Example : “she altered her stance, resting all her weight on one leg”

39) confrontation

Meaning : a hostile or argumentative situation or meeting between opposing parties(n).

Tamil Meaning : மோதலை

Synonyms : conflict

Antonyms : calm

Example : “a confrontation with the legislature”

40) refrain

Meaning : stop oneself from doing something(v).

Tamil Meaning : விலகி

Synonyms : desist

Antonyms : interact

Example : “she refrained from comment”

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THE HINDU EDITORIAL : NOVEMBER 23, 2018

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Aspirants can find the other important THE HINDU EDITORIAL topics from the link that is mentioned below, to score more in the English section, THE HINDU EDITORIAL is vital and considered as the best source to learn more. Learning THE HINDU EDITORIAL provides you with an added advantage for the aspirants as this assist in their bank exam preparations.

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Check the other important THE HINDU EDITORIAL from the previous months that are available in our Bankersdaily website through the links that are mentioned below.

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THE HINDU EDITORIAL –  JUNE

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THE HINDU EDITORIAL – JULY 

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Other Important Notification: Released In October 2018

ESIC SSO Prelims Score Card 2018 Released

TNSPSC Group II 2018 Answer Key – General English & General Tamil

Canara Bank PO PGDBF Manipal Recruitment 2018 – 800 Vacancies

IBPS PO MAINS EXAM 2018 REVIEW, ANALYSIS AND QUESTIONS ASKED IN EXAM – November 18, 2018

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