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Saddam is Alive and Running along a Beach... for Elections in India


From today's Hindustan Times dated 31 March, 2009.
The caption for this PTI photo reads:
A poster of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein pasted on a campaign vehicle of Saddam Hussain* - CPI(M) candidate from Malapuram in north Kerala, a Muslim-dominated seat.
Interestingly, Malappuram district also has a Saddam beach which got its name during the Gulf War.

The story of the Saddam beach according to The Hindu (31/12/2008):
When the beach got its name (Saddam) during the first Gulf War, there were hardly three-dozen families there. The name of the beach has got into official records.
“It was a clash between two Sunni factions on the beach that earned the beach its name,” said V. Abdul Khader, another resident. “Initially, it had a negative tone. It later transformed into a positive image of resistance against U.S. aggression.” 
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 Update:
The name of the candidate is actually T.K. Hamsa. He was "mistakenly" captioned as Saddam Hussain by the leading Newspapers of the country. (check the comment made by Nikhil )

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Previously on Saddam: Saddam Brand Fireworks
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Comments

  1. Nikhil NarayananMar 31, 2009, 9:54:00 PM

    Hi
    I am not sure which dodo created this news item.Read the same in TOI too.
    The candidate's name is Advocate TK Hamsa and not Saddam Hussein.
    Someone has fooled these papers.

    -Nikhil

    ReplyDelete
  2. Vinayak RazdanMar 31, 2009, 11:22:00 PM

    Thanks for the info. Nikhil!

    The guy in the photograph is certainly candidate TK Hamsa. [updating the post now]
    The source of the gaffe seems to be PTI. Caption for that 'ptoto' at PTI website read:

    "B-65, MALAPPURAM-300301, MARCH 30, 2009: Malappuram: Former Iraq President the late Saddam Hussain's poster is glued along with CPI(M)'s Malappuram candidate Saddam Hussain (R), during an election campaign in Malappuram on Monday. PTI Ptoto *** Local Caption ***"

    I guess 'Local Caption' in a journalistic code for 'Use at your own Risk and Pray nobody Notices'.

    TOI could have made a front page 1st April special item out of this pic. What a waste!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nikhil NarayananApr 1, 2009, 10:54:00 PM

    Vinayak,
    Thanks for the input on *Local Caption* funda.

    The same photograph came in Malayala Manorama on 30th March with the candidate's correct name.Only a vernacular daily could figure the *Local Caption*

    -Nikhil

    ReplyDelete
  4. Vinayak RazdanApr 1, 2009, 11:17:00 PM

    Little things like these can sometime really get on one's nerve. Just the other day a news piece in HT was printed under the title "Woman from Valley ‘beaten’ for marrying against family’s wishes". I read it and realized the muslim woman was from a place called Nagrota...a place that I know is only half an hours drive from Jammu and has nothing - geographically or ethnically- to do with the 'Valley'. The misleading title was probably chosen just because it would get more eyeballs. There a good chance people in the Valley blamed the "local sources" in Jammu for this stupid title and claimed it as a proof of deliberate attempts being made to defame Kashmiri people.

    ReplyDelete

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