Embarrassment over Indian ad with Pakistan ex-air chief

The advertisement appeared in Indian newspapers on Sunday


Indian officials have apologised after a government advertisement included an image of a Pakistani ex-air force chief alongside various acclaimed Indians. Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed was pictured with notable Indians such as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and cricketer Kapil Dev in an anti-female foeticide campaign. The full-page newspaper ad was produced by the women and child development ministry for National Girl Child Day.
The government has ordered an inquiry into the error.
Former Air Marshal Ahmed said the inclusion of his photograph in the advertisement was probably an "innocent mistake". Shocked "The prime minister's office has noted with regret the inclusion of a foreign national's photograph in a government of India advertisement. While an internal inquiry has been instituted, the PMO apologises to the public for this lapse," the prime minister's media adviser Harish Khare said in a statement. The full-page advertisement appeared in Indian newspapers on Sunday and had photos of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi and junior minister for women and child development Krishna Tirath. The advertisement also included photographs of two of India's cricketing heroes, Kapil Dev and Virendra Sehwag, as well as musician Amjad Ali Khan. Many people in India were shocked to see that the advertisement also included the photograph of former Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Ahmed, a former chief in the Pakistani Air Force. Mrs Tirath said she had set up a committee to find out how the photograph appeared in the advertisement. "I have expressed regret and also sought an apology on behalf of the ministry over the lapses. We should be cautious so that such mistakes are not repeated in the future," she said. The minister said the inquiry committee will give its report in a fortnight. "I wasn't aware about this... I was busy with a golf match and didn't know about this development," news agency Press Trust of India quoted retired Air Chief Marshal Ahmed as saying. "I guess it's just one of those errors. It must be an innocent mistake," he said.

Sex workers begin marital life in Sirsa today

Chandigarh: Marking a ray of hope for thousands of women trapped in sex trade, six sex workers will get married to men who have come forward to be their companion for life. The marriages will be solemnised at the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters in Sirsa on Monday. Many Dera followers have contributed Rs 1 per day for a welfare corpus dedicated to rehabilitate these sex workers. After nearly two months, the amount is now in several lakhs of rupees. These sex workers, rescued from West Bengal, Delhi and Rajasthan, will live with their in-laws after marriage. “If the arrangement does not work or the parents of the groom backtrack from their commitment to accept them as their daughters-in-law, the Dera intends to set up a separate colony where the couple can live,” sect spokesperson Dr Aditya Insan told ,The identity of women is being concealed to avoid any possible attempt to ostracise the family. A few months ago, nearly 2,000 youths had volunteered to marry sex workers. Their consents have been supported by affidavits. Many among such youths are professionals, students of mass communication and business administration. Dr Aditiya Insan said, “These brides will have the option to pick up from a host of vocational courses run by the Dera. This will keep them occupied and offer them a decent livelihood.” A youth, who is marrying on Monday, said, “We are not marrying sex workers, their past is inconsequential to us.” Though the sect has come across many such women with children, the first six to-be-brides have no children. “These children will stay in the sect. We have a list of hundreds of families, including NRIs, who are willing to take care of expenses to bring them up,” Insan said.