The Hindu : Opinion / News Analysis : Corrections and clarifications

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Friday, Nov 20, 2009
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Corrections and clarifications

* * The edited caption of a standalone AFP photograph (November 19, 2009, page 1) and titled “Significant Visit” said Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was being offered a robe of honour (‘siropa’) by Akal Takht chief Gyani Joginder Singh Vedanti at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. A reader points out that it should have said Gyani Jaswinder Singh.

The Advocacy Strategy Coordinator, Canadian High Commission, New Delhi, clarifies that there is apparently a double miscaption. It is Giani Jaswinder Singh. He is not the Akal Takht chief, but Head Granthi.

* * The winter session of Parliament ends on December 22, and not December 21 as said in the third paragraph of a report “All set for an action-packed session” (North India and Kolkata editions, November 19, 2009, page 1, and Inside pages – Other Editions). (The session in all will have 24 sittings over six weeks, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan K. Bansal.) In a few editions as well, an item “Liberhan report may be tabled next month” (“Briefly”, November 19, 2009, page 1) gave the last day of Parliament as December 21.

* * The expansion of CIC is Chief Information Commissioner, and not Chief Information Officer as mentioned in the first paragraph of a report “‘Make appointment of CIC transparent’” (November 19, 2009).

* * The heading of a report “Embraer plans to sell three fighter aircraft to IAF” (“Business” page, November 19, 2009) and the second paragraph of the text, which said that “the three fighter aircraft are the EMB4, a multi intel jet, the EMB MP for marine patrolling and the EMB 14, early warning craft”, were misleading. The right term should have been “military aircraft”, as a fighter is designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft. In addition, the aircraft types mentioned were incorrect. They should have been the EMB 145 Multi Intel, which is an advanced Remote Sensing/Airborne Ground Surveillance and Intelligence aircraft capable of providing real-time imagery and signals intelligence over ground objectives, the EMB 145 MP, which is a Maritime Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft, and the EMB 145 AEW&C, which is an advanced Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft.

The company says that it does not manufacture fighter aircraft.

* * The SP chief took the oath of office on August 29, 2003, and not in September 2003 as said in the eighth paragraph of a report “Reading the tea leaves in U.P.” (Op-Ed, November 18, 2009).

* * The eighth paragraph in an article “U.S. goofs up the Afghan election” (Editorial page, November 16, 2009) was “... Thus the world community mutely watched when the West began chanting in unison that there should be a runoff and that Mr. Karzai’s shortfall by 0.3 per cent votes in the first round made him ‘illegitimate’ in the eyes of the Afghan people. It has turned out to be a first-rate farce.” A reader said that under the constitution, Karzai needs at least 50 per cent of the vote to avoid a runoff. An Editorial (November 5, 2009), “Afghanistan’s election fiasco”, said that the runoff was needed because the original election, held on August 20, was so fraudulent that the U.N.-supported Election Complaint Commission (ECC) reduced Mr. Karzai’s share of the vote from 54 per cent to 48.6 per cent, leaving him without an absolute majority. He fell short of 1.4 per cent.

The writer clarifies: A Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) report dated October 22, 2009, regarding the Afghan election, had the following paragraph: “The Independent Election Commission on October 20 called for the second round after taking into account the findings of a U.N.-backed panel investigating voter fraud. After throwing away more than a million fraudulent votes, revised figures officially dropped Karzai’s tally — which preliminary figures placed at about 55 per cent — to 49.67 per cent, just below the outright 50 per cent majority needed for a first-round victory. Abdullah’s preliminary tally of 28 per cent jumped to 31.5 per cent.” The confusion arises since there were no official figures. The RFE/RL is a U.S.-government funded media organisation and can be treated as authoritative.

* * *

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