Daily English Vocab
PDF 22nd April 2017
China Takes a Hand
Here's what's new in this round of bloodletting (रक्तपात)in Jammu and Kashmir. It is obvious that
the situation in Jammu & Kashmir has deteriorated significantly between last year and now, with
the army and police fighting Pakistan-based jihadis and stone pelters with their backs to the wall.
Many observers blame inept (अनपु यक्त
ु /असंगत) political management by the Centre for the widespread
alienation (अलगाव) of people in Kashmir Valley (but not necessarily people of Jammu and
Ladakh), making restoration of normalcy very difficult.
We have been here before - in 2010, in the 1990s, etc - but this time the shift in public mood is
qualitatively different. But it is not merely the result of poor political engagement with Kashmiri
aspirations. A key new element is covert (गोपनीय) Chinese support to Pakistani mischief in
Kashmir.
While the Chinese claim to have been miffed over the Dalai Lama's visit to Tawang and Arunachal
Pradesh, and have now given Chinese names to places in that state to buttress their territorial
claims, the reality is that the dragon is keen to have the status quo (वततमान-स्थिस्त) changed in Jammu
& Kashmir too. Reason: large parts of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are critical to its new ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), including land access to Gwadar port in Balochistan.
Without the covert Chinese go-ahead to Pakistani aims in J&K, it is doubtful if an economically
and politically isolated country would have dared change the game in Kashmir Valley. Here's
what's new in this round of bloodletting in the Valley.
First, the Pakistani approach to Kashmir has changed from one of mindless terrorism against
civilian and soft targets to symbols of state power - the army and central and state police forces.
This is what explains the targeting of air force and army bases in Pathankot and Uri, not to speak
of efforts to intimidate J&K Police by targeting their families at home. J&K Police are now a
frightened lot. Second, this time the war has an information component that is as lethal as stones,
grenades and AK-47s. This is why we are being inundated (भरपरू , पटा हुआ) with videos purporting
to show Indian army or police forces beating up Kashmiris or tying them on top of vehicles to
negotiate a stone pelting crowd. These propaganda tactics are intended to destroy the will of the
Indian state to fight while, at the same time, ensuring the alienation of local citizenry.
The information war also has a secondary political motive, which is to set the so-called liberal
elite, never positively inclined to the Modi government, against the latter's policies in J&K, by
focusing the narrative on human rights violations - real, imagined or manufactured. The brazen
Pakistani threat to execute a captured former Indian naval officer, Kulbhushan Jadhav, after a
sham (स्िखावटी) trial, is of a piece with this information war. It is intended to pile on the pressure
and distract the government from ensuring that the Valley is safe and peaceful. If Jadhav is
executed one can expect the current consensus inside India to evaporate, as opposition politicians
will surely accuse the government of mishandling this case; which is what Pakistan wants - a
divided political class in India, unsure about its aims in J&K. This disarray in the Indian
intelligentsia suits Chinese objectives too.
Third, China may not be overtly keen to promote Pakistan-based jihadis who may well end up
becoming a headache in its own Xinjiang province, where the Muslim Uighurs are restive (अशानत् ).
But one thing is certain: it appears to have decided to prop up the Pakistani deep state, both to
further its own economic interests, and as a way of containing India. Chinese pressure on Pakistan
to declare Gilgit-Baltistan as its fifth province is key to legalising its highway to Gwadar, which
passes through this area. China has decided that a strong Pakistan is in its interests - and this has
negative consequences for India, especially in terms of Pakistan's Kashmir policy.
Fourth, the US is distracted and Russia, a former staunch (कट्टर) India ally, has neatly fallen into
the Chinese camp, thanks to foolish US attempts to sanction Vladimir Putin over his ambitions in
Syria, Ukraine and Crimea. The Donald Trump administration, widely expected to be tougher on
terrorism, has fallen back on Obama-era policies of bombing Syria and alienating Russia and China
even further. So, the China-Pakistan nexus can soon become a China-Russia-Pakistan nexus,
hugely negative for India. Russia has only arms to offer by way of economic support, and soon
these could be offered to Pakistan.
Fifth, there is a new domestic variable this time. Unlike in the past, when J&K always had
Kashmiri politicians running the state, this time BJP has ensured that Jammu is part of the power
structure, thanks to its huge representation in terms of MLAs from this region. Politically this is
sharpening the Hindu Muslim divide in the state, since it is presumed that it was the Hindus who
put BJP in power in Srinagar along with PDP, which won big in the Valley. This Hindu-Muslim
factor is sharpening the edge of Islamist militancy in the Valley.
In a sense, today's crisis in the Valley has been enhanced by a democratic verdict in 2014. It is not
going to be easy to disentangle (खोलना / बाहर स्नकलना) this knot. The right way to go about restoring
peace in the Valley is to impose a short spell of Governor's rule, allow the armed forces to restore
some semblance (झलक / आभास) of peace in the Valley, and then restart the political dialogue
process for a greater devolution of power, but one that does not concentrate it in Srinagar, but
distributes it between Srinagar, Jammu and Ladakh.
Courtesy: The Times of India (International)
1. Bloodletting (Noun): The violent killing and wounding of people during a war or conflict
(रक्तपात)
Synonyms: Carnage, Massacre, Annihilation, Bloodbath
Antonym: Mild, Pleasant, Pleasing
Example: There has been continual bloodletting in Jammu and Kashmir for more than two
decades.
2. Inept (adjective): Having or showing no skill (अनपु यक्त
ु )
Synonyms: Clumsy, Artless, Talentless, Awkward, Inappropriate, Unsuited
Antonym: Skillful, Able, Expert, Efficient, Capable
Example: The inept employees are fired out from the company.
3. Alienation (noun) : The action or state of moving or being moved apart (अलगाव)
Synonyms: Separation, Breach, Breaking Off, Estrange, Withdrawal, Division
Antonym: Agreement, Friendliness, Connection
Example: His alienation from the party was not, however, for long.
4. Covert (adjective) : Not openly acknowledged or displayed, secret (गोपनीय)
Synonyms: Latent, Hidden, Veiled, Masked, Privy, Secret, Camouflaged
Antonym: Open, Frank, Public, Candid, Known
Example: The Government launched covert operations against the militants.
5. Inundated (verb) : Overwhelm (someone) with things or people to be dealt with(भरपरू ,पटा हुआ)
Synonym: Engulf, Whelm, Deluge, Overrun
Antonym: Underwhelm
Example The telecom company is inundated with complaints from its customers.
Verb forms: Inundate, Inundated, Inundated
6. Sham (Noun): A thing that is not what it is purported to be (स्िखावटी)
Synonym: Bogus, Fictitious, Feigned, Forged, Pretend
Antonym: Authentic, Genuine, Real, Sincere, True
Example: It was only a sham wedding; they didn't care much for one another but wanted their
parents to stop hassle them.
7. Restive (Adjective): Unable to remain still, silent, or submissive, especially because of
dissatisfaction. (अशानत् )
Synonym: Agitated, Recalcitrant, Restless, Tense, Uneasy
Antonym: Calm, Relaxed, Easy-going, Patient
Example: Gurjar population is becoming restive on account of reservation issue.
8. Staunch (Adjective): Very loyal and committed in attitude (कट्टर)
Synonym: Ardent, Inflexible, Stalwart, Stout, Tough
Antonym: Flexible, Indefinite, Irresolute, Unreliable,
Example: He is the staunch supporter of giving equal rights to women.
9. Disentangle (Verb): Free someone from something that they are entangled with (खोलना / बाहर
स्नकलना)
Synonym: Disengage, Detach, Emancipate, Free, Separate
Antonym: Attach, Tie, Connect, Tangle
Example: He has disentangled himself from the bondage of debt.
Verb Forms: Disentangle, Disentangled, Disentangled
10. Semblance (Noun): The outward appearance or apparent form of something, especially when
the reality is different. (झलक / आभास)
Synonym: False front, Guise, Mask, Pretense, Similarity, Veneer
Antonym: Concrete, Dissimilarity, Reality, Dissimilarity
Example: An hour into the suspense movie, a semblance of complex plot finally emerged.
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