List of Idioms and Phrases from The HINDU editorial: “Electronic distraction: On politics and the ‘EVM issue’

List of Idioms and Phrases from The HINDU editorial: “Electronic distraction: On politics and the ‘EVM issue’

The article discusses the political discourse around electronic voting machines (EVMs) and the broader implications of questioning election integrity. The Congress party has sought to raise the tempo in its criticism of EVMs, alleging their manipulation to favor certain political parties. However, this focus may be barking up the wrong tree, as the evidence presented so far defies logic and does not convincingly support claims of systemic bias.

The Election Commission of India (ECI), under scrutiny, has been accused of brazening it out by dismissing concerns without adequately addressing them. The Congress’s attempts to raise the spectre of EVM tampering could act as a distraction from more pressing election integrity issues, such as voter list manipulation and electoral funding transparency.

Ultimately, the responsibility for addressing these concerns lies squarely in the court of the Election Commission, which must come clean on all issues to restore faith in the electoral process.

1.  Raise the tempo

• Meaning: To increase intensity or effort in an activity or situation.
• Example: "The Congress has raised the tempo with regard to its concerns about electronic voting machines."

2.  Come clean

• Meaning: To be honest or admit the truth about something.
• Example: "The Election Commission of India needs to come clean on issues related to the integrity of elections."

3.  Barking up the wrong tree

• Meaning: To direct efforts toward the wrong issue or misidentify the cause of a problem.
• Example: "The Congress is barking up the wrong tree by focusing on electronic voting machines instead of broader election integrity."

4.  Defies logic

• Meaning: To be unreasonable or illogical; not making sense.
• Example: "The claim that EVMs are manipulated in a way that benefits the BJP in some states but not others defies logic."

5.  Raise the spectre

• Meaning: To evoke fear or concern about something undesirable.
• Example: "By repeatedly raising the spectre of EVM manipulation, the Congress overlooks real election integrity issues."

6.  Brazening it out

• Meaning: To face criticism or controversy without admitting fault or retreating.
• Example: "The ECI seems to be brazening it out regarding allegations of voter list manipulations."

7.  Squarely in the court of

• Meaning: Clearly or entirely someone’s responsibility or problem to address.
• Example: "Some of these issues are squarely in the court of the Election Commission."

8.  Act as a distraction

• Meaning: To divert attention from the main issue or focus.
• Example: "The EVM scare should not act as a distraction from addressing real election integrity concerns."