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Editorial · 2 min read · THE HINDU PAPER EDITORIAL

Police Accountability and Rule of Law in a Democracy

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The prevailing climate of police operations against student dissenters in Delhi has become a profound catalyst for concern, casting a pall over the foundational principles of India’s democracy. Despite the Supreme Court’s cognizance of these events, its intervention to curb apparent police overreach has been minimal. While an independent probe delving into the alleged misconduct is under consideration, a truly accountable police force would have proactively upheld its own rectitude given the extensive public evidence. Visual documentation clearly depicts officers engaging in egregious acts, including a male officer assaulting a female protester and an attempt to use a lathi on a young girl’s private parts.The Delhi police’s zealous pursuit of student activists, leveraging controversial facial-recognition technology, stands in stark contrast to its reticence in identifying and disciplining its own personnel captured in such alarming footage. Professionalism and strict adherence to legal protocols are the sole requisites for internal accountability. Concurrently , a worrying trend of suppressing free expression, both digitally and physically, is cracking down on government critics. While some content creators may have employed offensive language, any ensuing police action must be unequivocally substantiated by law and follow transparent due process, not appear as a tactic of intimidation .The apparent disinterest of authorities in looking into online harassment against protesters further exacerbates the issue. Claims of criminal infiltration into protests necessitate a lawful and impartial process to bring perpetrators to justice , alongside a full explanation for the use of force, such as pellet firing. Upholding established standards and diligently addressing transgressions are paramount. This scenario underscores a critical constitutional tenet: no entity, including law enforcement, operates beyond the law’s purview . Any reneging on pledges made to students risks fostering widespread cynicism and deepening youth disaffection .

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Vocabulary from this Editorial

Accountable adjective

Required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible.

Synonyms: responsible, liable, answerable

"Government officials must be held <b>accountable</b> for their decisions and actions."

Adherence noun

Attachment or commitment to a person, cause, or belief; strict observance of a rule or standard.

Synonyms: compliance, conformity, observance

"Strict <b>adherence</b> to safety protocols is crucial in the workplace."

Apparent adjective

Clearly visible or understood; obvious; seeming real or true, but not necessarily so.

Synonyms: obvious, evident, visible

"The <b>apparent</b> simplicity of the task masked its underlying complexity."

Assaulting verb

To make a physical attack on.

Synonyms: attacking, beating, striking

"The security guard was reprimanded for <b>assaulting</b> a peaceful demonstrator."

Catalyst noun

A person or thing that precipitates an event or change.

Synonyms: impetus, stimulus, trigger

"The new policy acted as a <b>catalyst</b> for economic growth in the region."

Cognizance noun

Knowledge or awareness; the state of being aware or having knowledge of something.

Synonyms: awareness, knowledge, perception

"The court took <b>cognizance</b> of the new evidence presented by the defense."

Concurrently adverb

At the same time; simultaneously.

Synonyms: simultaneously, coincidentally, at once

"Two major projects are running <b>concurrently</b>, requiring careful management."

Curb verb

Restrain or keep in check.

Synonyms: restrain, control, limit

"New regulations aim to <b>curb</b> inflation and stabilize the market."

Cynicism noun

An inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest; skepticism.

Synonyms: skepticism, distrust, pessimism

"Years of broken promises had bred deep <b>cynicism</b> among the electorate."

Deepening verb

To make or become more profound or intense.

Synonyms: intensifying, aggravating, exacerbating

"The political crisis risks <b>deepening</b> the economic instability."

Depicts verb

Represent by a drawing, painting, or other art form; portray; describe.

Synonyms: portrays, illustrates, shows

"The mural <b>depicts</b> scenes from the city's rich history."

Disaffection noun

A state or feeling of being dissatisfied with people in authority or a system.

Synonyms: dissatisfaction, discontent, unrest

"The government's unpopular policies led to widespread public <b>disaffection</b>."

Diligently adverb

In a way that shows care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties.

Synonyms: assiduously, conscientiously, industriously

"She <b>diligently</b> researched all aspects of the case before making a decision."

Egregious adjective

Outstandingly bad; shocking.

Synonyms: flagrant, atrocious, abominable

"The CEO was criticized for his <b>egregious</b> misuse of company funds."

Exacerbates verb

Make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse.

Synonyms: aggravates, worsens, intensifies

"Lack of proper medical care often <b>exacerbates</b> chronic health conditions."

Foundational adjective

Providing a basis or groundwork; fundamental.

Synonyms: fundamental, basic, underlying

"A strong education is <b>foundational</b> for a successful career."

Fostering verb

Encourage or promote the development of (something good, typically something abstract).

Synonyms: promoting, encouraging, nurturing

"The program aims at <b>fostering</b> innovation among young entrepreneurs."

Harassment noun

Aggressive pressure or intimidation.

Synonyms: molestation, persecution, bullying

"The company has a strict policy against workplace <b>harassment</b>."

Impartial adjective

Treating all rivals or disputants equally; fair and unbiased.

Synonyms: unbiased, neutral, objective

"A judge must remain <b>impartial</b> throughout the trial."

Infiltration noun

The action of secretly entering or joining an organization or group, especially for subversive purposes.

Synonyms: penetration, intrusion, insinuation

"The intelligence agency prevented an <b>infiltration</b> attempt by foreign spies."

Intimidation noun

The action of frightening or threatening someone, often to make them do what one wants.

Synonyms: threat, coercion, menace

"Witnesses refused to testify due to fear of <b>intimidation</b>."

Intervention noun

The action or process of intervening.

Synonyms: interference, mediation, intercession

"Military <b>intervention</b> was considered to restore peace in the region."

Misconduct noun

Unacceptable or improper behavior, especially by an employee or professional person.

Synonyms: impropriety, wrongdoing, malpractice

"The athlete was suspended for serious <b>misconduct</b> during the game."

Offensive adjective

Causing someone to feel deeply hurt, upset, or angry.

Synonyms: insulting, displeasing, abusive

"His remarks were widely regarded as deeply <b>offensive</b> and inappropriate."

Prevailing adjective

Existing at a particular time; current.

Synonyms: current, dominant, widespread

"The <b>prevailing</b> opinion among experts is that the economy will recover soon."

Purview noun

The scope of the influence or concerns of something.

Synonyms: scope, range, domain

"Matters of national security fall within the <b>purview</b> of the federal government."

Rectitude noun

Morally correct behavior or thinking; righteousness.

Synonyms: integrity, morality, virtue

"The judge was known for his unwavering <b>rectitude</b> and fairness."

Reticence noun

The quality of being reticent; reserve.

Synonyms: reserve, restraint, hesitation

"Her <b>reticence</b> to share personal details made it difficult to get to know her."

Substantiated verb

Provide evidence to support or prove the truth of.

Synonyms: proven, confirmed, verified

"The claims made in the report were fully <b>substantiated</b> by independent research."

Transparent adjective

Allowing light to pass through so that objects behind can be distinctly seen; easy to perceive or detect.

Synonyms: clear, obvious, plain

"The government promised a <b>transparent</b> investigation into the allegations."

Trend noun

A general direction in which something is developing or changing.

Synonyms: tendency, direction, course

"There is a growing <b>trend</b> towards sustainable living practices."

Unequivocally adverb

In a way that leaves no doubt; unambiguously.

Synonyms: unambiguously, explicitly, categorically

"The new policy was <b>unequivocally</b> supported by the entire committee."

Underscores verb

Emphasize the importance of (something).

Synonyms: emphasizes, highlights, stresses

"The report <b>underscores</b> the need for greater investment in education."

Widespread adjective

Found or distributed over a large area or number of people.

Synonyms: prevalent, common, extensive

"The new technology gained <b>widespread</b> adoption across various industries."

Zealous adjective

Having or showing great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective.

Synonyms: ardent, fervent, passionate

"The activist was <b>zealous</b> in her efforts to protect endangered species."

Phrasal Verbs

casting a pall over

To have a negative effect on something, making it seem less appealing or hopeful.

"The sudden resignation of the CEO is <b>casting a pall over</b> the company's future prospects."

delving into

To research or investigate something thoroughly; to explore in detail.

"The historian spent years <b>delving into</b> ancient manuscripts to uncover new facts."

engaging in

To participate in an activity or enterprise.

"Students were encouraged to <b>engage in</b> extracurricular activities to broaden their skills."

stands in stark contrast

To be noticeably different from something else; to present a clear opposition.

"His optimistic outlook <b>stands in stark contrast</b> to the general pessimism in the team."

cracking down on

To take severe measures to restrict or suppress undesirable or illegal behavior.

"The authorities are <b>cracking down on</b> illegal street racing in the city."

looking into

To investigate or examine something.

"The police are currently <b>looking into</b> the anonymous tip they received."

bring to justice

To ensure that someone who has committed a crime is arrested and punished for it.

"The detective vowed to <b>bring</b> the culprits <b>to justice</b> for their heinous crime."

operates beyond

To function or exist outside the specified limits or scope of something.

"The rogue agency <b>operates beyond</b> the conventional rules of international diplomacy."

reneging on

To go back on a promise, undertaking, or contract.

"The company was accused of <b>reneging on</b> its agreement to compensate the workers."

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