THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary- September 17, 2016- Topic 2
Sometimes the symptom, and
not its UNDERLYING cause, seems like the real problem. If Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister
Mehbooba Mufti has anything to worry about, it is not the resignation of her
party MP, Tariq
Hameed Karra, but the issues he raised while announcing his decision to quit
the Peoples Democratic Party and the Lok Sabha. Despite his call to like-minded
people to “join” him, Mr. Karra is unlikely to get critical support within the
party to THREATEN Ms. Mufti’s standing in the PDP.
However, while drawing attention to the unrest in the Kashmir Valley, and the
“civilian killings”, he has also pointed to the IRRECONCILABLE
differences between the PDP and its alliance partner, the Bharatiya Janata
Party. Mr. Karra might have been politically OPPORTUNISTIC
in the timing of his resignation, but there is no way the PDP can get away from
having to define, to its political constituency, the nature of its relationship
with the BJP. IDEOLOGICALLY, the PDP has more in common with the
National Conference than with the BJP. But, after a FRACTURED mandate in the 2014 Assembly election, it chose to ally with the BJP
rather than explore the possibility of an alliance with the NC and the
Congress. The NC was a rival, with the support bases of the two parties
overlapping in many areas of the Valley. The BJP, however, had its base in
Jammu and did not compete with the PDP. Short-term political calculations INEVITABLY led to a PDP-BJP alliance.
To be sure, Ms. Mufti had GRAPPLED with the contradictions in the relationship with the BJP before she was
sworn in as Chief Minister following the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, her
father. But the BJP, just as CONSCIOUS as the PDP of the need to protect its
own vote bank, did not give an inch while renegotiating the terms of
engagement. Not surprisingly, she failed to WREST any major concessions from
the BJP. Whatever the nature of Mr. Karra’s political ambitions, he has framed
the dilemma for Ms. Mufti. Clearly, she cannot go into an election in alliance
with the BJP. Both the PDP and the NC, at different points, have allied with
the Congress. But the BJP, with its Hindutva plank, is a non-starter as an
electoral ally for any party seeking to represent the Muslims of Kashmir. The
coalition government of the PDP and the BJP is likely to fall before the Assembly
election, but it is in the interest of both parties to remain together in power
for the longest period possible. The break-up seems like an event FORETOLD; what is uncertain is the nature of the trigger and the timing.
:::::::::::::Meanings with example and Synonyms:::::::::::::::::
Underlying: (especially of a layer of rock or soil) lie or be situated under
(something).
Example: Most of the mowed fields in the central part of the park are underlain with
soil
Threaten: state one's intention to take hostile action against someone in retribution
for something done or not done.
Example: The unions threatened a general strike
Synonyms: menace, intimidate, browbeat, bully, blackmail, terrorize
Irreconcilable: (of ideas, facts, or statements) representing findings or
points of view that are so different from each other that they cannot be made
compatible.
Example: These two views of the early medieval economy are irreconcilable
Synonyms: incompatible, at odds, at variance, conflicting, clashing
Opportunistic: exploiting chances offered by immediate circumstances without reference to
a general plan or moral principle.
Example: The change was cynical and opportunistic
Ideologically: a system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of
economic or political theory and policy.
Example: The ideology of republicanism
Synonyms: beliefs, ideas, ideals, principles, ethics, morals
Fractured: break or cause to break.
Example: The stone has fractured
Synonyms: break, crack, shatter, splinter, split, rupture, bust
Inevitably: as is certain to happen; unavoidably.
Example: Inevitably some details are already out of date
Synonyms: naturally, necessarily, automatically, as a matter of
course
Grappled: engage in a close fight or struggle without weapons; wrestle.
Example: Passersby grappled with the man after the knife attack
Synonyms: wrestle, struggle, tussle, brawl, fight, scuffle, battle
Conscious: aware of and responding to one's surroundings; awake.
Example: He was admitted to the ICU conscious and alert, but with a very low blood
pressure, and very marginal oxygenation.
Synonyms: aware, awake, alert, responsive, sentient
Wrest: forcibly pull (something) from a person's grasp.
Example: Leila tried to wrest her arm from his hold
Synonyms: wrench, snatch, seize, grab, pry, pluck, tug, pull, jerk, dislodge, remove
Foretold: predict (the future or a future event).
Example: As he foretold, thousands lost their lives
Synonyms: predict, forecast, prophesy, prognosticate, foresee, anticipate, envisage
