Chennai-based newspaper The Hindu that drew flak from its readers for carrying a disrespectful headline for martyred CDS General Bipin Rawat recently brazened out its stand, stating that the news daily avoids using honorifics and ranks or designation in the headlines.
Many folks wrote to @MaliniP 's @the_hindu about that crass headline on Gen. Rawat's death.
— S. Sudhir Kumar (@ssudhirkumar) December 14, 2021
Today editor @nambath published a "note. They are not one bit apologetic about their crass headline. Instead we are told they have their own (silly) rules which justifies the headline pic.twitter.com/FchtAlfeRK
“As a general rule, The Hindu avoids using honorifics and rank or designation in headlines. Again, as a general rule, The Hindu stylebook allows the use of only commonly recognised abbreviations or acronyms in headlines,” The Hindu published as an Editor’s note, adding that they did not mean any disrespect to General Rawat in the headline on December 9, 2021, of the report on his death.
CDS Gen Rawat, along with 12 others died in a chopper crash on December 8 while he was on his way to Wellington College. A day after his unfortunate death in helicopter crash, The Hindu published a report on his death. The headline of the article read, “Rawat, 12 others killed in T.N. chopper crash.”
However, it did not sit well with readers as well as social media users after it was shared by people on the internet. They accused The Hindu of disrespecting the martyred General, stating that the newspaper did not accord the veneration that he deserved. They made their displeasure apparent by writing to the newspaper’s editor for its irreverence to the martyred general.
Readers, Social media users express their displeasure over irreverent headline in The Hindu report
Social media users were particularly angry with The Hindu and condemned the newspaper for disrespecting the decedent general who was killed in a chopper crash along with 13 other senior personnel.
The headline used carry the disrespect to the India’s highest defence rank and is certainly disrespect to the millions of sentiments.
— B.Singh (@Cmd_Madeeasy) December 10, 2021
Using world“Rawat… KILLED” is a kind of disrespect to India’s highest defence rank.@the_hindu @timesofindia @IndianExpress @aajtak @ndtv pic.twitter.com/RCN9Q8nRzp
Disgrace… Shame on #TheHindu
— Kreately.in (@KreatelyMedia) December 10, 2021
When the entire nation mourns the unfortunate death of General Rawat and others, the national daily chooses it's headline. pic.twitter.com/Led7UlNcoM
The newspaper which I used to read from the age of 5. Stopped reading few years back. Disgraceful headline. Would @the_hindu newspaper regret & apologise to the nation for this headline? @NTR_NationFirst @major_madhan pic.twitter.com/P1tOq0V2O3
— Bulls Eye (@sreeramjvc) December 10, 2021
However, instead of paying heed to the criticism, The Hindu refused to admit its mistake and cited arcane rules and practices to assert that there was no error made by it in report on CDS General’s death.
CDS General Bipin Rawat, 12 others martyred in chopper crash
Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat died in a helicopter crash on December 8 which was on its way from Sulur Air Force base in Tamil Nadu to Wellington where he was to deliver a lecture in Defence Staff college. Gen Rawat along with his wife Madhulika Rawat and other senior officials were onboard the aircraft. Gen Rawat was shifted to nearby hospital where he succumbed to the burn injuries. His wife, too, succumbed to the burns.
A total of 14 people were on board the aircraft, and 13 of them perished in the accident. Group Capt Varun Singh SC, Directing Staff at DSSC, is the lone survivor, and he is currently under treatment at Military Hospital, Wellington. He is reportedly being shifted to Bengaluru.
