Topic Of The Day:-“Protecting the intolerant”
Here, however, the law is only a part of the problem. The greater issue concerns its interpretation. In a just and tolerant society, one would imagine the courts would accord to rules of this kind the narrowest possible construal, allowing the greatest possible latitude to free expression. But, regrettably, the courts have distorted this vision. By refusing to interfere with the Karnataka High Court’s verdict which had upheld the ban, the Supreme Court has effectively understood Section 295A as a shield that legitimately protects the intolerant against the merest hint of inconvenient speech. In this case, Mahadevi’s book was banned purportedly because she substituted the original words in Lord Basaveshwara’s Vachanas. According to the government, she ought not to have changed the pen name of Basaveshwara from “Kudalasangamadeva” to “Lingadeva,” as such a substitution would inevitably hurt the feelings and sentiments of the “Veerashaiva” community in the State. Her actions, the government claimed, militated against Section 295A, and, therefore, the ban on her book was entirely justified. Now, the Karnataka High Court was certainly mindful of Section 295A’s language. For an offence to be committed under the provision, not only must the speech or expression in question insult or attempt to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of a class of citizens, but it must also have been made with the deliberate and malicious intention of outraging such religious feelings. Inexplicably, however, both these conditions, the court found, were met by the book. Mahadevi, the court said, had no right to “impose her philosophy on others”. “She can certainly publish a book containing her own philosophy, but certainly she cannot speak her philosophy through some other person who is held in high esteem by a particular class of society,” it wrote. “The petitioner knows full well that if she were to preach that philosophy, it may not be acceptable to all and obviously for that reason, she wants to advocate or propagate her philosophy through the mouth of Lord Basaveshwara by effecting certain changes in the Vachanas… which support her philosophy.” This supposed knowledge that her philosophy would not have otherwise been acceptable, and, therefore, that the author transmitted her own views through Basaveshwara’s name was, for the court, an indication of Mahadevi’s deliberate and malicious intent to cause religious hurt.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1) Acclaiming
Meaning: Praise enthusiastically and publicly.
Example: The conference was acclaimed as a considerable success.
Synonyms: Praise, Applaud
Antonyms: Criticize, Unsung
2) Hailed
Meaning: Hail falls.
Example: It hailed so hard we had to stop.
Synonyms: Beat, Shower
3) Erudition
Meaning: The quality of having or showing great knowledge or learning; scholarship.
Example: He was known for his wit, erudition, and teaching skills.
Synonyms: Learning, Scholarship
Antonyms: Ignorance
4) Rigour
Meaning: The quality of being extremely thorough and careful.
Example: His analysis is lacking in rigour.
Synonyms: Thoroughness, Precision
5) Grappling
Meaning: Engage in a close fight or struggle without weapons; wrestle.
Example: Passers-by grappled with the man after the knife attack.
Synonyms: Wrestle, Struggle
6) Implications
Meaning: The conclusion that can be drawn from something although it is not explicitly stated.
Example: The implication is that no one person at the bank is responsible.
Synonyms: Suggestion, Inference
Antonyms: Explicit statement
7) Inception
Meaning: The establishment or starting point of an institution or activity.
Example: She has been on the board since its inception two years ago.
Synonyms: Establishment, Institution
Antonyms: End
8) Whimsical
Meaning: Acting or behaving in a capricious manner.
Example: The whimsical arbitrariness of autocracy.
Synonyms: Volatile, Impulsive
9) Behest
Meaning: A person’s orders or command.
Example: They had assembled at his behest.
Synonyms: Instruction, Bidding
10) Invoked
Meaning: Cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument.
Example: The antiquated defence of insanity is rarely invoked in England.
Synonyms: Cite, Adduce
Antonyms: Waive
11) Forfeit
Meaning: Lose or be deprived of (property or a right or privilege) as a penalty for wrongdoing.
Example: Those unable to meet their taxes were liable to forfeit their estates.
12) Deems
Meaning: Regard or consider in a specified way.
Example: The event was deemed a great success.
Synonyms: Consider, Judge
13) Infringe
Meaning: Actively break the terms of (a law, agreement, etc.).
Example: Making an unauthorized copy would infringe copyright.
Synonyms: Contravene, Violate
Antonyms: Obey, Comply with
14) Remnants
Meaning: A part or quantity that is left after the greater part has been used, removed, or destroyed.
Example: The bogs are an endangered remnant of a primeval landscape
Synonyms: Remains, Remainder
15) Construal
Meaning: The way a person understands the world or a particular situation.
Example: A young child’s construal of a task may be different from an older child’s or an adult’s.
16) Latitude
Meaning: Scope for freedom of action or thought.
Example: Journalists have considerable latitude in criticizing public figures.
Synonyms: Freedom, Scope
Antonyms: Constraint, Restriction
17) Regrettably
Meaning: Unfortunately (used to express apology for or sadness at something).
Example: Regrettably, last night’s audience was a meagre one.
18) Interfere
Meaning: Prevent (a process or activity) from continuing or being carried out properly.
Example: A holiday job would interfere with his studies.
Synonyms: Impede, Obstruct
19) Verdict
Meaning: A decision on an issue of fact in a civil or criminal case or an inquest.
Example: The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
Synonyms: Judgement, Decree
20) Merest
Meaning: Used to emphasize how small or insignificant someone or something is.
Example: Questions that cannot be answered by mere mortals.
Synonyms: Trifling, Bare
21) Purportedly
Meaning: As appears or is stated to be true, though not necessarily so; allegedly.
Example: The photos purportedly show Nina with a lover.
22) Pen name
Meaning: An assumed name used by a writer instead of their real name.
Example: His early work was written under the pen name of Owen Meredith.
Synonyms: Pseudonym, Alias
23) Militated
Meaning: (Of a fact or circumstance) be a powerful or conclusive factor in preventing.
Example: These fundamental differences will militate against the two communities coming together.
Synonyms: Prejudice, Resist
Antonyms: Reinforce
24) Outraging
Meaning: Arouse fierce anger, shock, or indignation in (someone).
Example: The public were outraged at the brutality involved.
Synonyms: Enrage, Infuriate
25) Preach
Meaning: Give moral advice to someone in a pompously self-righteous way.
Example: Viewers want to be entertained, not preached at.
Synonyms: Moralize, Sermonize
26) Indication
Meaning: A sign or piece of information that indicates something.
Example: The visit was an indication of the improvement in relations between the countries.
Synonyms: Sign, Indicator
27) Intent
Meaning: Intention or purpose.
Example: With alarm she realized his intent.
Synonyms: Aim, Purpose
