THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary- October 3, 2016- Topic 1
The immediate provocation for the series of rallies in the name of
Maharashtra’s numerically dominant Marathas might appear to be the rape and
killing of a 14-year-old girl in Ahmednagar district. All the three accused so
far in the case are Dalits. While the protesters have demanded justice for the
victim, their rallies have been used as a pretext for Marathas to reiterate a
long-standing demand for reservations under the Other Backward Classes category
and for scrapping the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of
Atrocities) Act of 1989. The Marathas’ demand for reservations mirrors similar
ones made recently by Patidars and Jats in Gujarat and Haryana, respectively.
As with Patidars and Jats, the demand for inclusion in the OBC quota is fuelled
by anxiety about relative economic backwardness among a large cross-section of
Marathas. Their inability to move up the economic ladder and the lack of
adequate opportunities in a sluggish agrarian economy have been key factors in
the agitations for reservations. Yet, the demand for reservations for Marathas,
traditionally seen as “upper castes”, goes against the spirit of affirmative
action that has guided eligibility for quotas in Central and State lists.
Marathas are a dominant caste and play a central role in electoral politics as
well as the political economy of the State. In any case, it has been judicially
established that economic criteria alone cannot be taken as determinants of
backwardness. The Bombay High Court had stayed an order by the previous
Congress-NCP government for 16 per cent reservations for Marathas in
educational institutions and jobs over and above the almost 50 per cent quota
for SC/STs and OBCs put together.
The other key demand in the Maratha agitations, for the scrapping of the
POA Act, seems to be clearly directed at perceived Dalit assertion. Such
demands have been voiced in the past too by political groups representing
landed backward classes in States such as Tamil Nadu. The implementation of the
POA Act has been sketchy across India, and Maharashtra is no exception.
Conviction rates remain low, even if reporting of crimes against SCs and STs
and their registration have increased, as a result of increasing awareness among
Dalits and Adivasis of their legal options. Indeed, there is a case for better
implementation of the Act, certainly not for its scrapping. It is therefore
disturbing that political parties are trying to appropriate the seemingly
spontaneous protests for any electoral dividends. The Devendra Fadnavis-led
government would be well-advised to address the State’s agrarian distress and
need for more job creation, instead of opting for short cuts such as expanding
reservations, which in any case may not ultimately pass judicial scrutiny.
Vocabulary
Provocation: action or speech that makes
someone annoyed or angry, especially deliberately.
Example: You should remain calm and not respond to provocation
Synonyms: goading, prodding, egging on, incitement, pressure, annoyance
Reiterate: say something again or a number of times, typically for
emphasis or clarity.
Example: She reiterated that the administration would remain steadfast in its
support
Synonyms: repeat, say again, restate, retell, recapitulate
Anxiety: a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically
about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.
Example: He felt a surge of anxiety
Synonyms: worry, concern, apprehension, apprehensiveness, uneasiness
Sluggish: slow-moving or inactive.
Example: A sluggish stream
Synonyms: inactive, quiet, slow, slack, flat, depressed, stagnant
Affirmative: agreeing with a statement or
to a request.
Example: An affirmative answer
Perceived: become aware or conscious of (something); come to realize
or understand.
Example: His mouth fell open as he perceived the truth
Synonyms: discern, recognize, become aware of, see, distinguish, realize, grasp
Sketchy: not thorough or detailed.
Example: The information they had was sketchy
Synonyms: incomplete, patchy, fragmentary, cursory, perfunctory, scanty
Scrutiny: critical observation or examination.
Example: Every aspect of local government was placed under scrutiny
Synonyms: examination, inspection, survey, study, perusal, investigation
Pretext: a reason given in justification of a course of action
that is not the real reason.
Example: The rebels had the perfect pretext for making their move
Synonyms: excuse, false excuse, ostensible reason, alleged
reason, guise
Adequate: satisfactory or acceptable in quality or quantity.
Example: This office is perfectly adequate for my needs
Synonyms: sufficient, enough, requisite; acceptable, passable, reasonable