It
was not too long ago – indeed only on June 1st – the newspaper Hindustan Times put out the reason why
it is not publishing a photograph of Mallika Sherawat draped in the tricolor. I
had posted on it [1], cynicism oozing.
Today
I find in the main section of the same paper another detailed statement that
amounts to a disclaimer. The only difference between five days ago and today is
the disclaimer had graduated to the main section from the supplement!
Today’s
disclaimer pertains to the driver of the government vehicle in which Gopinath
Munde was being driven when he met with the fatal accident. The driver, it
turns out was not a regular but was an ad-hoc appointee. But, the paper deemed
that it should offer some tidbits, fill up the assigned column inches, but at
the same time should not be seen to be doing so. Hence the disclaimer. I let
you read it in full:
“The
name of the said driver is not being disclosed deliberately by HT, nor is this
report an attempt to tarnish his individual reputation, question his driving
skills or assert his culpability for the late minister’s (sic) death.”
One
question before I sign off. Why did the HT not find the same reasons valid
enough for the driver of the other car involved in the accident? That would
have been one more disclaimer!
Raghuram
Ekambaram
References
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