Daily English Vocab
PDF 15 Jan 2017
De-Modi-fying Discourse
We must judge demonetisation on its effects, not the PM's intentions behind launching it.
Public debate from demonetisation to digital economy to surgical strikes against terrorist camps
across the LoC is centred on one man Narendra Modi. Not only is the Prime Minister placed at
the centre of it all, he places himself at the centre as well. So, Congress vicepresident Rahul Gandhi
who is struggling to assume the mantle (दायित्व) of the leader of the oldest party in the country as
well as the rest of the opposition is compelled (बाध्ि होना) to address himself to the PM, attack him
for his insensitivity as well as threaten to expose his misdeeds. Leaders of other opposition parties
too attack, however obliquely, the PM more than his government or BJP because they assume that
Modi is everything and the party is nothing.BJP leaders, from president Amit Shah to Modi's
Cabinet colleagues and others, pay verbal obeisance (सम्मान/आदर) to Modi again and again. The PM
enjoys the adulation (सराहना) as well as the denunciation (यनिंदा/दोषारोपण) because he remains at the
centre of it all. The deleterious (हायनकारक/क्षयिकर) consequences are obvious. The merits and demerits
of demonetisation, digital transactions for a less-cash economy and surgical strikes are pushed off
the agenda. What remains is criticism on the one hand and stout (मजबूि/कडा/पक्का) defence on the
other, of the man's intentions and motives, his vision and his delusion.
It is unfair to blame the PM for enjoying the Modi theatre. He is as narcissist (someone in love
with themselves) as any other politician and the strategy of his career to weave the plot around
himself, from the 2002 coach burning at Godhra and the anti-Muslim pogrom (सामूयहक हत्िा) that
followed to the 2014 Lok Sabha election, has been a successful gambit. There is no doubt that
Modi has been relentless (अनवरि/सिि/यनष्ठुर) in projecting himself as part of his effort to establish his
credentials at the national and international levels, making every bid to make his mark ever since
he assumed the PM's office. It has to be noted that Indian media have contributed greatly to the
making of Modi the Leader. Even Modi partisans cannot deny that he is a larger-than-life figure
in the liberal media. The dangers of a Modi-centric discourse have become evident. The opposition
has failed to nail the follies of government policies like demonetisation and its grandiose
(भव्ि/शानदार) plans like Jan Dhan Yojana and JAM. It also appears that the opposition the semisocialist Congress, the right-wing and centrist socialists in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Karnataka,
and the marginalised communists in Tripura, Kerala, West Bengal, AK Gopalan Bhavan and Ajay
Bhavan in Delhi are furious that Modi has stolen their populist thunder.
There is an urgent need to discuss the issues facing the country rather than deifying (देविा-सदृश पूजा
करना) or demonising Modi. NDA-2's performance with regard to the economy can be assessed
keeping aside the noise about demonetisation. Figures for economic growth in 2014-15 and 201516 are quite unspectacular.The growth rate was revised to 5.1% for 2012-13 and 6.9% for 201314 with 2011-12 as the new base year. The projection for 2014-15 (the first year when NDA was
in power) was 8.1-8.5% at market prices, but the actual growth was 7.2%. Post-demonetisation,
both RBI and CSO have scaled down growth expectations for 2016-17 from 7.6% to 7.1%.
Optimism ushered in by the new NDA government in mid-2014 was aided by positive factors like
the steep decline in international crude oil prices, increased foreign fund flows and lower inflation
rate. The Economic Survey for 2014-15 began with the declaration, “A political mandate for
reform and a benign (अच्छा/सौम्ि/यहिकारी) external environment have created a historic moment of
opportunity to propel India onto a double-digit growth trajectory.” But there was the conservative
note as well: there was no need for Big Bang reforms because, “Big Bang reforms as
conventionally understood are an unreasonable and infeasible (अव्िावहाररक) standard for evaluating
the government's reform actions.” The Economic Survey of 2015-16 was marked by a change in
mood and tone. It speaks of “unusual volatility in international economic environment” and
describes India as “a haven of stability and an outpost of opportunity.” It made the observation
that in spite of declining exports Indian economy has performed well, and attributes it to a check
on corruption. And it persisted with the idea of incrementalism.
Demonetisation is a Big Bang disruption though the government has intended it as a Big Bang
reform, because its immediate impact is contraction of the economy and setting in of a deflationary
trend. The economy instead of balancing itself on an even keel at a time when the world economy
is still teetering (डगमगाना) seems to lurch (make an abrupt, unsteady, uncontrolled movement
or series of movements; stagger) hither and thither (being on this or that side; nearer), whatever
the spin doctors in government and BJP have to say. It is not blooming, and it has lost the
semblance (अनुरूपिा/आकृयि) of stability that appeared to be there in 2015 and in 2016.
Demonetisation seems an afterthought, intended as an infusion of steroids into the system. It is not
a triumph but a panic response in the face of slow growth rates.
Courtesy: The Times of India (Politics).
1. Mantle (noun): An important role or responsibility that passes from one person to another.
(दायित्व)


Synonyms: Role, Onus, Duty, Responsibility, Function, Task, Job.
Antonyms: Irresponsibility, Exemption.
Example: Overwhelmed by the stress that came with the mantle of his office, the prime minister
resigned from his position.
2. Obeisance (noun): Deferential respect/ a respectful obedient attitude. (सम्मान/आदर)
 Synonyms: Respect, Homage, Adoration, Reverence, Veneration, Respectfulness.
 Antonyms: Censure, Condemnation, Disdain, Dishonor, Disregard, Disrespect.
Example: The young girl showed obeisance when she bowed before the queen.
3. Denunciation (noun): Public condemnation of someone or something. (यनिंदा/दोषारोपण)
 Synonyms: Censure, Condemnation, Arraignment, Castigation.
 Antonyms: Praise, Compliment, Commendation.
Example: The cruel warden ignored his assistant when he made a denunciation about the
mistreatment of the prisoners.
Verb forms: Denunciate, Denunciated, Denunciated.
Related words:
Denunciate (verb) – दोषारोपण करना
Denunciative (adjective) – ननदिं नीय
4. Deleterious (adjective): Causing harm or damage. (हायनकारक/क्षयिकर)
 Synonyms: Harmful, Damaging, Detrimental, Injurious, Disadvantageous, Pernicious.
 Antonyms: Helpful, Aiding, Assisting.
Example: The overpopulation of large snakes in the forest is deleterious to the wild rat population.
5. Stout (adjective): Having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
(दृढ/मजबूि/कडा/पक्का)
 Synonyms: Strong, Solid, Robust, Firm, Sturdy, Tough.
 Antonyms: Timid, Weak, Afraid, Infirm.
Example: He was so stout on his proposal that The CEO had to take it into consideration.
Related words:
Stoutly (verb) – दृढ़तापर्ू वक
Stoutness (noun) – दृढ़ता
6. Pogrom (noun): The killing or destruction of a large proportion of a group or species. (सामूयहक
हत्िा)
 Synonyms: Massacre, Slaughter, Carnage, Genocide, Decimation.
 Antonyms: Protection, Guard, Save.
Example: The dictator enlisted a pogrom to rid his country of those he considered undesirable.
7. Relentless (adjective): Unceasingly intense. (अनवरि/सिि/यनष्ठुर)
 Synonyms: Continuous, Persistent, Non Stopping, Unceasing.
 Antonyms: Intermittent, Ending, Stopping
Example: During the battle, the relentless soldier continued to fight despite the bullet in his
shoulder.
Verb form: Relent, Relented, Relented
Related words:
Relentlessly (adverb) – (लगातार)
Relent (verb) – (मृदु होना)
8. Grandiose (adjective): Conceived on a very grand or ambitious scale. (भव्ि/शानदार)
 Synonyms: Ambitious, Bold, Epic, Big, Noble, Lofty, Flamboyant.
 Antonyms: Insignificant, Low, Unimpressive.
Example: When the drug company announced its new weight-loss product, it made some
grandiose promises about instant weight reduction.
Related words:
Grandiosity (noun) – प्रभार्काररता / भव्यता
9. Benign (adjective): Showing kindness and gentleness/ of a gentle disposition.
(अच्छा/सौम्ि/यहिकारी)
 Synonyms: Benevolent, Amiable, Mild, Generous, Beneficent.
 Antonyms: Disadvantageous, Harmful, Injurious, Malign.
Example: The eco-friendly company will only drill for oil in areas where its practices are benign.
Related words:
Benignity (noun) - सदयता
Benignant (adjective) - अच्छा
Benignly (adverb) – दयापर्ू वक
10. Infeasible (adjective): Not possible to do easily or conveniently/ not capable of being carried
out or put into practice. (अव्िावहाररक)
 Synonyms: Impractical, Unattainable, Unreasonable, Unworkable.
 Antonyms: Reasonable, Practical, Pragmatic, Attainable.
Example: The plan submitted by Joy was so unfeasible that it was not even taken into discussion.
Related words:
Infeasibility (noun) - The quality of not being doable
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