ONE PASSENGER’S AIRLINE
In the beginning, says the Bible, was the word. If you need evidence that we are now far closer to Judgment Day, with much of humanity destined alas for a spell in hell, note the manner in which we have corrupted the word in the service of subterfuge.
It would be wrong to condemn a whole industry for the sins of its pirates, but the public relations crowd has much to answer for in the continuing degradation of language. Their purpose is no longer to convey a fact or an opinion, but to mislead.
Perhaps it was a sign of naiveté that my jaw dropped upon reading a statement issued by Prakash Mirpuri, a spokesman of Kingfisher Airlines, in the middle of the strike by pilots and engineers who, instead of being paid for their work, have been fed a stream of lies about when their salary cheque will arrive.
The text was from a dictionary published by Alice in Wonderland, where words are slaves of their employer. The exact paragraph needs to be repeated: “We regret that the illegal strike has still not been withdrawn and normalcy has not been restored in the company, thereby continuing to cripple and paralyse the working of the entire airline.” It was deception delivered with pathos. Mirpuri deserves an immediate increment, even if there is no money for pilots.
16/10/2012 : M J Akbar / Khaleej Times.
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