Sharing without caring - The Hindu Editorial with vocab - September 14, 2016 - StarkAK

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Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Sharing without caring - The Hindu Editorial with vocab - September 14, 2016


Sharing without caring - The Hindu Editorial with vocab - September 14, 2016
Emotions often trump reason. The Cauvery water dispute विवाद is turning out to be less about water and irrigation (supply water) and more about linguistic chauvinism and regional identity. Nothing else can explain the mindless violence in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the Supreme Court order asking the former to release water to the latter, keeping in view the distress(worrying) situation in both States in a season of deficit(small/shortfall) rainfall. Many of the acts of violence have been perpetuated in the two States by chauvinistic, fringe organisations that have little to do with the farming community or its interests. It is clear that there is insufficient water in Karnataka’s reservoirs to meet the full irrigation needs of both States. The point of the Supreme Court order was to make the States share their distress and not to magically fulfil the needs of farmers on both sides. But political parties and some media houses, especially regional language television channels, have sought to portray the issue as one that pits the people of one State against that of the other. Indeed, the two major national parties, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, have taken different stands in the two States on this issue. No party or State government appears to believe it can afford to be seen as taking even so much as a conciliatory step toward defusing the crisis. On some previous occasions when Karnataka released water in a distress year the State government did so quietly so as to not give chauvinistic elements any opportunity to inflame passions.
Cauvery is an inter-State dispute, but this is no reason to turn the issue into a raging controversy that draws the peoples of the two States into confrontation (a fight or argument). That Tamil-speaking people settled in Karnataka for generations are made to feel insecure, and business establishments run by entrepreneurs tracing their familial ties to Karnataka are targeted in Tamil Nadu are indications of how the water dispute goes beyond the interests of the people and becomes mixed up with the emotive issue of linguistic identity. Ideally, as stipulated by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, the technicalities of water-sharing should be left to the Cauvery Management Board, which is to monitor the water flows with the help of the Cauvery Regulation Committee and the respective State authorities. If Cauvery is not to be made a plaything in the hands of chauvinists, the governments of the two States as well as at the Centre need to send out a strong signal to the marauding mobsters that violence, in whatever name, will be put down strongly by the security forces. As laid down by the CWDT, the issue of water-sharing should be left in the hands of technical experts, and not politicians who are hostage to the emotions of a parochial fringe.

dispute - noun - an argument or disagreement, especially an official one between
synonyms:      debate, discussion, discourse, disputation, argument, controversy,
contention, disagreement
turn out (HAPPEN) phrasal verb - to happen in a particular way or to have a particular result, especially an unexpected one
linguistic -adjective- connected with language or the study of language
chauvinism / noun [ U ] disapproving / the strong and unreasonable belief that your own country or race is the best or most important
2- excessive or prejudiced support for one's own cause, group, or sex.
synonyms:      jingoism, excessive patriotism, blind patriotism, excessive nationalism, sectarianism, isolationism, excessive loyalty, flag-waving, xenophobia, racism, racialism
distress -noun- a situation in which you are suffering or are in great danger and therefore in urgent need of help
Perpetuate – verb- to cause something to continue
pit sb/sth against sb/sth phrasal verb -to cause one person, group, or thing to fight against or be in competition with another
conciliate / verb -to end a disagreement or someone's anger by acting in a friendly way or slightly changing your opinions, or to satisfy someone who disagrees with you by acting in this way
conciliatory adjective (friendly way)
synonyms:   propitiatory, placatory, appeasing, pacifying

inflame / / verb / to cause or increase very strong feelings such as anger or excitement
raging / / adjective - very strong or violent

marauding / / adjective [ before noun] - going from one place to another killing or using violence, stealing, and destroying
parochial / adjective -- showing interest only in a narrow range of matters, especially those that directly affect yourself, your town, or your country
synonyms:      narrow-minded, small-minded, provincial, insular, narrow


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