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Anger in diplomacy: On Indian reaction to MNC Kashmir tweets

Pak. establishment was behind MNC Kashmir tweets, but India should have shown restraint

The advent of social media has no doubt changed how diplomacy is conducted between countries.
Even so, it was surprising that the MEA and the Commerce Ministry put as much energy as they did
into ensuring that several multinational companies retracted social media posts their Pakistani
distributors had put out last week. The posts, that appeared to be part of a coordinated exercise
sponsored by the Pakistani establishment, were put out on February 5 — marked in Pakistan as
“Kashmir Solidarity Day” — and contained what New Delhi termed as highly offensive messages
calling for “Kashmiri liberation”. The Government’s outrage was valid, given that these companies,
including Hyundai, Toyota, KFC, Pizza Hut, and pharma major Schwabe, also have flourishing
businesses in India, and it was strange that private MNCs would post such politically charged
messaging at all. However, where a sharp word or even a short statement of disapproval would have
sufficed, the Modi government decided to go the whole distance: even summoning the Korean
Ambassador while ensuring that Indian embassies took up the issue with other governments. External
Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also raised the matter with his Korean counterpart, who apologised to
the Indian people. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal added in Parliament that the original apology by
Hyundai India was not adequately “forceful or unequivocal”, even as social media consumers in India
threatened to boycott products made by the companies concerned.

While the Government might feel it has achieved its purpose by ensuring the companies and
governments involved were contrite about the posts, it must also consider the big picture of how its
actions, that appear to be at some variance with those of a secure and powerful global player, are
viewed in the rest of the world. India’s claims over Jammu and Kashmir are strong, and widely
acknowledged, and not so fragile that a few social media posts, that appeared only in Pakistan, can
dent in any way. Second, holding foreign governments in democratic countries to account for the
actions of the local distributors of their private companies could have unforeseen repercussions. It is
also worth considering whether the Foreign Ministry’s resources are better spent in furthering India’s
interests than on expending diplomatic capital on short-lived controversies such as the MEA’s
objection to pop star Rihanna’s posts on the farmer protests last year. The apologies and statements
thus extracted may prove to be a pyrrhic victory, if one considers that the intentions of those behind
the obnoxious posts in Pakistan, aimed at drawing attention to their propaganda on Kashmir, were
also met. A quiet word with the MNCs might have worked better than a public display of diplomatic
opposition. [Practice Exercise]

 Red/blue coloring of words in the sentence indicates subject verb relationship where ‘Red’ color
denotes ‘subject’ and ‘blue’ denotes ‘verb’.

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Vocabulary
1. MNC (noun) – a multinational company.
2. Establishment (noun) – organization,
outfit, group
3. Restraint (noun) – self-control,
temperateness, control, abstemiousness
13. Solidarity (noun) – unanimity, unity,
harmony, cohesion /
14. Term (verb) – call(by a specified term),
name, entitle, describe as
15. Call for (phrase) – require, need,
necessitate, make necessary, demand.

4. Advent (noun) – arrival, appearance,

emergence, occurrence, dawn आ
5. Diplomacy (noun) – tact, tactfulness,
discretion, finesse, delicacy
6. Even so (phrase) – In spite of that;
nevertheless.
7. Ensure (verb) – make sure, make certain,
see to it
8. Retract (verb) – take back, withdraw,
reverse, revoke
16. Liberation (noun) – freedom, equality,
independence आ
17. Outrage (noun) – indignation, fury, anger,
rage आ
18. Valid (adjective) – correct, genuine,
reasonable (of an argument or point)
/
19. Given (preposition) – considering, taking
into consideration, bearing in mind

9. Put out (phrasal verb) – issue, publish,

release
10. Coordinated (adjective) – effectively
organized so that all the parts work well
together
20. Flourishing (adjective) – Developing rapidly
and successfully; thriving.
21. Strange (adjective) – weird, odd, bizarre,
unusual, abnormal

11. Sponsor (verb) – support, back, promote 22. Charged (adjective) – Motivated, filled
with something,

12. Mark (verb) – Celebrate, commemorate, 23. At all (phrase) – in any way; to any extent
observe

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24. Suffice (verb) – be enough, be sufficient,
be adequate
25. Go the (whole) distance (phrase) – To
persist with some activity until its
conclusion.
26. Summon (verb) – call for, ask for
27. Ambassador (noun) –envoy, diplomat,
representative, deputy
28. Embassy (noun) – consulate, legation
29. Counterpart (noun) – equivalent, equal,
parallel
30. Apologize (verb) – say sorry, express
regret, ask forgiveness
31. Adequately (adverb) – To a satisfactory or
acceptable extent
32. Forceful (adjective) – Persuasive,
convincing, compelling, valid.
33. Unequivocal (adjective) – Leaving no
doubt; unambiguous
34. Boycott (verb) – Ban, refuse to buy (goods)
as a punishment or protest from other
countries
35. Concerned (adjective) – connected, related
36. Contrite (adjective) – remorseful, regretful,
full of regret, sorry, sheepish आ
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37. Big picture (noun) – the entire perspective
on a situation or issue
38. Variance (noun) –The state or fact of
disagreeing or quarrelling; conflicting, in
conflict
39. Acknowledge (verb) – admit, accept, grant,
allow
40. Fragile (adjective) –unreliable, insecure,
weak
41. Dent (verb) – reduce, diminish, weaken,
damage, hurt, undermine
42. Account for (phrasal verb) – be responsible
for
43. Unforeseen (adjective) – unpredicted,
unexpected, unanticipated, unplanned
/आ
44. Repercussion (noun) – consequence,
result, effect, outcome
45. Resource (noun) – spirit, energy, vigour,
46. Further (verb) – develop, advance,
forward, stimulate आ
47. Expending (verb) – spend, pay out, lay out,
disburse
48. Short-lived (adjective) – temporary,
impermanent, short-term
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49. Extract (verb) – Remove, withdraw, 53. Propaganda (noun) – Information,

Remove or take out ( by effort or force) especially of a biased or misleading nature,
used to promote or publicize a particular
political cause or point of view.
50. A pyrrhic victory (noun) – a success that
54. Meet (verb) – Fulfil or satisfy (a need,
comes with great losses or unacceptable
costs. requirement, or condition)

51. Pyrrhic (adjective) – Meaningless, useless. 55. Have a quiet word with (somebody)
(phrase) – to talk to someone privately
52. Obnoxious (adjective) – Extremely
when you want to criticize them or tell
unpleasant, troublesome, annoying,
them about something serious
hateful

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Practice Exercise
1. According to speaker, what action would have adequate for the government against obnoxious
posts? [Editorial Page]
(i) summoning the Korean Ambassador
(ii) Raising the matter with his Korean counterpart
(iii) An accusatory word or even a short statement of Condemnation
(iv) Inflicting UAPA against such MNCs
A. (i) , (ii) and (iii) only B. (iii) only
C. (ii), (iii) only D. All of the above.
2. What would be the consequence of holding foreign government responsible for the action of
local distributor?
A. It prove to be a pyrrhic victory
B. Worsening of diplomatic ties with such nations.
C. India’s claims over Jammu and Kashmir dent in any way
D. Not mentioned in the passage as it is unpredictable
3. What was the purpose of those behind such abominable tweets?
A. To expend diplomatic capital of Indian government on short-lived controversies.
B. To pull attention to their misinformation on Kashmir.
C. To publicize that how social media has changed the diplomacy.
D. To attract The Government’s outrage toward such MNCs.
4. According to the speaker, Why the MEA’s demurral to the singer post was unwarranted?
A. Because the Foreign Ministry’s resources are better spent in furthering India’s interests than
on expending diplomatic capital on short-lived controversies.
B. Because MEA must also consider the big picture of how its actions, that appear to be at some
variance with those of a secure and powerful global player, are viewed in the rest of the
world.
C. Because a quiet word with the MNCs might have worked better than a public display of
diplomatic opposition.
D. Because it could have unforeseen repercussion.
5. ‘Pak. establishment was behind MNC Kashmir tweets, but India should have shown restraint’
what is the tone of the given line?
A. Enthusiastic
B. Amused
C. Suggestive
D. Diplomatic
Direction (Q6 – Q8): Select the best express synonym of the given words
6. Solidarity
A. Capricious
B. Unanimity

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C. Periphery
D. Wistful
7. Outrage
A. Catholic
B. Indignation
C. Malaise
D. Discreet
8. Contrite
A. Saccharine
B. Plaintive
C. Antipathy
D. Regretful
9. What is the antonym of ‘Pyrrhic’?
A. Meaningful
B. Sequester
C. Duplicity
D. Homogeneous
10. Idioms and phrase: to talk to someone privately when you want to criticize them or tell them
about something serious.
A. Have a quiet word with
B. A pyrrhic victory
C. Go the whole distance
D. Keep someone quiet
Direction (Q11 – Q15): Spot the grammatical error in the given sentence
11. When Gaytri said that (A)/ she is coming to see me the next day (B)/ I wondered (C)/ what
problem she would bring. (D)/ No Error(E)
12. All I know is that (A)/ I won’t be at peace (B)/ with myself (C)/ unless I do not go there. (D)/ NO
Error(E)
13. No river in the world evokes (A)/ such awe and reverence (B)/ as the Ganga (C)/ which is like a
mother to 600 million Hindus of India. (D)/ No Error(E)
14. I used to visit her (A)/ and I always wondered (B)/ why she had (C)/ those dreadful pictures on the
wall. (D)/ No Error(E)
15. I suggested that Raju should walk on (A)/ and try to get help (B)/ while I stay with the injured man
(C)/ but he would not hear of this. (D)/ No Error (E)

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Answers
1. B 2.D 3.B 4.A 5.C 6.B 7.B 8.D 9.A 10.A 11.B 12.D
13. A 14.E 15.C [Practice Exercise]
Explanations
1. However, where a sharp word or even a short statement of disapproval would have sufficed.
2. Holding foreign governments in democratic countries to account for the actions of the local
distributors of their private companies could have unforeseen repercussions.
3. The intentions of those behind the obnoxious posts in Pakistan, aimed at drawing attention to
their propaganda on Kashmir.
4. The Foreign Ministry’s resources are better spent in furthering India’s interests than on
expending diplomatic capital on short-lived controversies such as the MEA’s objection to pop
star Rihanna’s posts on the farmer protests last year.
11. (B) ‘is' के बदऱे "was” का प्रयोग होगा क्योंकक वाक्य Indirect Narration में है जिसका Reporting
Speech when Gayatri said' Past Tense में है । अत् Reported Speech में भी Past Tense का
प्रयोग होगा।
12. (D) ‘do not' का प्रयोग नह ॊ होगा क्योकक 'unless', 'until' आदद में 'not' का भाव मौिूद है ।
13. (A) 'No' के बाद 'other' का प्रयोग होगा क्योंकक 'गंगा नदी' की तुऱना 'विश्ि की अन्य नददयों ‘से
की गई है । अर्ाात ् ववश्व की नददयों में गॊगा भी एक है । िब ककसी एक व्यजक्त या वस्तु की
तऱ
ु ना उसी group के अन्य व्यजक्तयों या वस्तओ
ु ॊ से Positive Degree में हो तो ननम्नलऱखित
construction का प्रयोग होता है I
No other + Noun (Singular) .. so/as + Adjective (Positive) + as....
(I) No other leader of India is so/as popular as Mrs. Sonia Gandhi.
(सोननया गाॉधी की तऱ
ु ना भारत के ह अन्य नेताओॊ से की गई है ।)
ककन्तु, यदद ककसी एक group के एक व्यजक्त या वस्तु को तऱ
ु ना ककसी दस
ू रे group के
सारे व्यजक्तयों या वस्तओ
ु ॊ से Positive Degree में हो तो ननम्नलऱखित Construction का
प्रयोग ककया िाता है I
No +Noun (Singular)... so/as + Adjective(Positive) + as ...
(i) No city of India is as beautiful as Paris.
(ऩेररस की तुऱना भारत के सारे नगरों से की गई है ।)
14. (E) No Error

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15. (C) 'stay' के बदऱे 'stayed' का प्रयोग होगा क्योंकक वाक्य Indirect Narration में है जिसका

Reporting Speech ‘I suggested' Past Tense में है । अत् Reported Speech को भी Past Tense में
करना ऩडेगा।

Explanation of other important words

Sr.NO Words Meanings
Q6 Capricious adjective Unpredictable; likely to change at any
moment
Periphery noun The outside edge of something
Wistful adjective Yearning; sadly longing

Q7 Catholic adjective Universal; embracing everything ,

Malaise noun Feeling uneasy or queasy

Discreet adjective Prudent; Judiciously reserved ,

Q8 Saccharine adjective Sweet; excessively or disgustingly sweet ,

Plaintive adjective Expressing sadness or sorrow

Antipathy noun Firm dislike; a dislike ,

Q9 Sequester verb To set or keep apart ,

duplicity noun The art of being two faced; double – , ,

dealing; deception

Homogeneous adjective Uniform; made entirely of one thing , ,

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