Topic Of The Day:-“West Bengal Tango: On Election Commission Of India”
The Election Commission Has Junked Even The Pretence Of Neutrality
From pleading helplessness before the Supreme Court in enforcing the Model Code of Conduct a month ago, the Election Commission has come a long way in asserting its powers. On Wednesday it took the rare step of ordering that campaigning in West Bengal’s nine Lok Sabha constituencies that go to the polls on Sunday end earlier than scheduled. West Bengal had witnessed sporadic incidents of violence through the previous phases of polling, but on Tuesday tensions ran high after clashes during a roadshow of BJP president Amit Shah in Kolkata. The destruction of a bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the 19th century reformer and cultural icon of Bengal, by suspected BJP activists has put the party on the defensive in a State where it is making an all-out effort to expand its footprint. The EC may have had sufficient reasons to conclude that a ‘fear psychosis’ has gripped the State, and therefore campaigning must end prematurely. In TMC-ruled West Bengal, the entire government machinery, the district administration and the police, could quite possibly be at the service of the ruling party. However, the advanced deadline of 10 p.m. on Thursday to end campaigning was devoid of any logic or reason, other than being evidently partisan towards the BJP. The 10 p.m. deadline clearly accommodated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s last rallies in the State slated for Thursday evening. If in the EC’s assessment campaigning could have led to violence, why did it not order its curtailment on Wednesday or early in the day on Thursday? Since the announcement of the Lok Sabha poll schedule, the EC’s credibility has come under a cloud. The manifestly partisan decision on the campaigning deadline in West Bengal has further eroded trust in the institution.
Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has been putting up a ferociousfight against Hindutva politics in the State, has expectedly found support from Opposition parties across the country. Most parties have been justifiably critical of the EC’s conduct through this election, and it was not surprising that the latest provocation has revived their complaints. The Congress pointed out that the EC had dismissed 11 complaints it had filed regarding Mr. Modi’s alleged violations of the MCC. The Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav said the decision went “against all norms of democratic fair play”, while DMK president M.K. Stalin said there was a “BJP pattern” in the destruction of the Vidyasagar statue, connecting it to the vandalisation of Periyar statues in Tamil Nadu last year. BSP chief Mayawati said Mr. Modi and “his stooges” were targeting Ms. Banerjee in a “dangerous and unjust trend”. The BJP’s assessment of West Bengal’s importance for its chances of returning to power is understandable, but its strategy is threatening the peace in the State. The EC’s action has only made matters worse, allowing Ms. Banerjee to play the angry victim in what is turning out to be the powder keg of India.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1.pleading
Meaning: the action of making an emotional or earnest appeal to someone.
Synonyms: Beg, entreat, beseech, implore, appeal to, petition, supplicate
Antonyms: refuse, Answer, Decide, Punish
Example Sentence: “he ignored her pleading”
2.enforcing
Meaning: compel observance of or compliance with (a law, rule, or obligation).
Synonyms: Impose, apply, carry out, administer, implement, bring to bear
Antonyms: Voluntary
Example Sentence: “the role of the police is to enforce the law”
3.asserting
Meaning: state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully.
Synonyms: declare, maintain, contend, argue, state, claim.
Antonyms: Abandon, Deny, Conceal, Desert
Example Sentence: “the company asserts that the cuts will not affect development”
4.sporadic
Meaning: occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated.
Synonyms: Occasional, infrequent, irregular, periodical, periodic
Antonyms: Frequent, regular, steady, continuous
Example Sentence: “sporadic fighting broke out”
5.suspected
Meaning: have an idea or impression of the existence, presence, or truth of (something) without certain proof.
Synonyms: Have a suspicion, have a feeling, feel, be inclined to think
Antonyms: know
Example Sentence: “if you suspect a gas leak, do not turn on an electric light”
6.psychosis
Meaning: a severe mental disorder in which thought, and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality.
Example Sentence: “they were suffering from a psychosis”
7.prematurely
Meaning: before the due time; ahead of time.
Synonyms: Too soon, too early, before the usual time, ahead of time, before one’s time
Example Sentence: “his son died prematurely
8.partisan
Meaning: a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person.
Synonyms: supporter, follower, adherent, devotee, champion
Antonyms: Fair, Unbiased, Disinterested
Example Sentence: “partisans of the exiled Stuarts”
9.curtailment
Meaning: the action or fact of reducing or restricting something.
Synonyms: Reduction, cut, cutback, decrease, lessening, diminution
Antonyms: Increase, expansion
Example Sentence: “the curtailment of human rights”
10.ferocious
Meaning: savagely fierce, cruel, or violent.
Synonyms: Fierce, savage, wild, feral, untamed; predatory, rapacious
Antonyms: Tame, gentle
Example Sentence: “a ferocious beast”
11.provocation
Meaning: action or speech that makes someone angry, especially deliberately.
Synonyms: Goading, prodding, egging on, incitement, rousing
Antonyms: Compliment, Discouragement
Example Sentence: “you should remain calm and not respond to provocation”
12.vandalization
Meaning: the act of deliberately destroying or damaging public or private property.
Synonyms: Deface, demolish
Antonyms: Build, Fix, Construct
Example Sentence: “due to vandalization in the past, a security system has been installed in the house”
