NDTV closes Anna's second fast with a good gathering - "We the People Must Stay Engaged with We the Elected"

A Sign at Ramlila Maidan, August 27th.

Related articles

• India Against Corruption Photo Gallery from Saturday, August 27th at Ramlila Maidan
  
• India's Parliament Agrees to Anna Hazare's Demands (nytimes.com)

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A time to talk. A time to do.

Image by vm2827 via FlickrWhile many are coming round to the view that a wider consultation is necessary to fend off a terrible government bill, Anna Hazare is in no mood to allow the government to waste any more time.

If the government does not show sincerity now, this situation is likely to spiral out of control. Despite appeals from Justice Hegde and others to stop his fast, Anna Hazare is in no mood to relent before his mission is completed.

Reminder: Anna Hazare is only asking for the government to introduce the Janlokpal draft in the Lok Sabha.

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Reporting with a difference: a NDTV Interview and a Times Now NewsHour Debate

Source: Chaaps.com

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Government of India, Here: How May I Help You?

Image via WikipediaGovernment to People of India: Speak as long as nobody is listening.

Government to NGOs: Do your thing as long as small potatoes stay small potatoes.

Government to Industry: What do you not want in this bill?

Government to Opposition: You are the devil.

Government to UN: Have a cup of tea.

Government to World Bank: Thanks for booking my flight to D.C. I hope the hotel is walking distance from the conference.

Government to Think Tanks: Yes, I am free to speak at IHC on Wednesday.

Government to Consultancies: Is the power point ready?

Government to Academics: Do you want to do a study for the Planning Commission?

Government to Women: Stay home.

Government to Religious Leaders: What should I do?

Government to Voters and Taxpayers: Kthxbai

Government to Media. Come here, sweetheart. I have news for you.

Related articles

• Is Lokpal a Jokepal?
  
• Observe. Speak. Listen. Help.
  

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Is Lokpal a Jokepal?

Image via WikipediaThe opposition party took a stand today in favour of the inclusion of the Prime Minister under the ambit of the Lokpal. India Against Corruption is actively planning activities and events across the country for the first half of August. Anna Hazare and team reject the approved government draft which excludes the PM and judiciary. Arvind Kejriwal quotes media polls to demonstrate public support and explains the Janlokpal he envisions is equivalent to taking the anti-corruption branch of the CBI out of the control of government. Meanwhile, some continue to pooh-pooh the India Against Corruption movement. Are you ready for a fiery Pundit Comment rant? [P.S. I insist you take the time to peruse the content filed under "Anna Hazare" label if you are not familiar with my on-going reportage and commentary on the evolution of this national debate.]

My challenge to non voters commenting on Lokpal Bill: Take a look at my options and please tell me whom to vote for next election. #kthxbai

So, you rail against the education and criminal background of our MPs and MLAs but then harangue people trying to change the system? Useless hypocrites.

Who the hell are you, mocking and insulting Dr. Manmohan Singh everyday to tell Kiran Bedi how she should feel and speak? Useless hypocrites.

Why don't you fight from within the system like Kiran Bedi, Kejriwal, Bhushans and yes, even the NAC members do? All voters, all residents.

How do you think the NAC members got appointed? Whatever you may think of their views, N.C. Saxena, Harsh Mander, Aruna Roy are clean and honest.

Go read Kiran Bedi's autobiography. It's titled "I Dare!" WITH the exclamation mark. Do you think you could name your biography "I Dare"?

Read up on MSSK, Aruna Roy, Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal and the RTI act you all love now before you say "nobody can be that benign".

Speculative mistrustful ignorant cynicism will not get you 10% GDP growth rates and full employment either, you know.

Irony of ironies. You don't even vote. Explain your unshakable faith in the electoral process, please. Pfft. Ignorant, useless hypocrites.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it's the only thing that ever has. ~ M. Mead

Do you comprehend the Margaret Meade quote at all, even an iota? It means doers gonna do and haters gonna hate. And you're a hater. Some idiots like the New York Times are still choosing to frame India's future as a choice between corruption and socialism. Haters.

Do you even understand why Indians are fed up with NDTV & CNN-IBN, suave as they are? We don't want sensationalist Headlines Today and inexperienced NEWS-X either, please. Learn the name Cenk Uygur. Go find out why he turned down a cushy job at @MSNBC to run his own truth telling enterprise on the internet @theyoungturks. Why do you think @ndtv sources programme ideas from @twitter? In a world of free information flow, the voice of the people matters!

I extend an open invite to everybody sitting in Singapore, Canada, USA, UAE. I'll buy you an orange bar if you can find a politician on the ballot who represents me.

When you know what it takes to get a ticket from a party with a viable chance of getting elected, please explain your faith in elections.

When you know what happens to the stray non profit or professional contestants with no political links, please explain your faith in elections.

When you know what resources are available to whichever party is in power to shower constituencies with Rs. and favours just before elections, please explain your faith in elections.

It take decades to build up a new, tiny political party. What chance does anybody not with Congress,BJP & regional powers have NOW?

YOU think nobody is that benign. YOU think activists only want power. Did YOU ever HEAR India Against Corruption say they want power? Did you miss Kiran Bedi's tweet comparing the Janlokpal bill to a baby that has been safely delivered the day both drafts went to Cabinet?

You're watching our top 2 parties shame India EVERY F%^&*Iing DAY. Chal, aaj meri baari. Kal, teri baari. PLEASE EXPLAIN YOUR FAITH IN ELECTIONS.

JOKEPAL is right. Pal, YOU are the JOKE.

Harvard economist Dani Rodrik thinks emerging economies, not the West are going to be badass. Gee. I wonder who in India is badass? Clearly, you know very little about the UN-World Bank-Think Tank-NGO-Consultancy scene in India (read: Delhi) if you don't value people like Aruna Roy, NC Saxena, Arvind Kejriwal, and Kiran Bedi.

The equation goes: Regional media ==> policy. English media ==> entertainment. Give Times Now credit for making a mark and taking a lead.

You have the luxury of amusing yourself with the politics of my country.

You cannot change a system if the people holding up the system do not wish so. Work on removing those people today to change tomorrow.

Laws and rules are made to be twisted by man. Scams go on for years because government works on the discretion of the person occupying the seat.

Who is naive? The person proposing and fighting for change or the person holding out faith the status quo will *poof* change on its own?

You don't get nothing you don't fight for. Either help or get out of our way.

Thank you for lending a ear, and for your responses and retweets.

coolfunnytshirt

Now, give my ear back, please! RT @PunditComment: Thank you for lending a ear, and for your responses and retweets.

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Whatay Scandal ~ Murdoch Stops the Presses: News of the World Shuts Down

This phone hacking scandal has captured the fancy of every single international journalist on my Twitter timeline. The Indian ones - not so much. But of course, the hungama has only just begun with the closing of the News of the World and this scandal threatens to become the beginning of the end of the Murdoch empire. Wishful thinking? Perhaps. Perhaps. Perhaps.

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NDTV Debate: Delhi's Besharmi Morcha #Slutwalk

You've heard about this, right? Big international women's movement sparked out of a 3000 women march to protest an idiotic comment by a Toronto policeman who suggested women who don't wish to be raped should avoid dressing like sluts? Good.

I stayed away from this one for as long as I could; partly because the name "Slutwalk" put me off, partly because I felt the march was a well intentioned but ultimately meaningless exercise since the message was unlikely to percolate down to the right audience, and partly because good minds were already on the job saying what needed to be said.  But who can resist a good old fashioned NDTV debate? I was live tweeting before my brain had a chance to tell my fingers not to bother.

Before you read the storify, I absolutely *insist* you read these articles in the order listed. Don't josh me, either. There's a pop quiz in your dreams tonight.

1.Why do you call it Slutwalk? by Vidyut
2.Slut walk? No thanks! by Seema Goswami
3.A Hindu writes to Vishwa Hindu Parishad by Vidyut
4.She is a Slut - Rape Her by Agni Dutta Gupta

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Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan debate Lokpal Bill with studio audience on NDTV

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Do Tarun Tejpal and Tehelka get the public support they deserve?

Image via Wikipedia

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Sweety loved Smartu. He did not love her back. So she killed herself. He was her husband.

Sweety died of a broken heart. Source: Dr. Deb

This post is a compilation of all my tweets about the girl from Patna who committed suicide because her husband was still in love with his girlfriend.  Her diary was printed in a Bangalore paper. This tweet from an Indian journalist is how I first heard about it:

priyaramani Priya Ramani

Diary of a new bride who killed herself coz her techie husband was in love with another. http://t.co/Osx9Rkb When will Indian women grow up?

[https://twitter.com/#!/priyaramani/status/80146142301650944]

PunditComment PC Khan

@priyaramani I read every word and I feel your tweet was insensitive and disrespectful to a dead woman in pain. bit.ly/mDCXcZ

[https://twitter.com/#!/PunditComment/status/80150788319608832]

priyaramani Priya Ramani

@PunditComment your opinion is your prerogative.

[https://twitter.com/#!/priyaramani/status/80151609375596544]

---
I find it appalling when women are insensitive to the pain of another woman, especially on matters of the heart. Would you tell a woman who has found herself in a fake marriage and killed herself to escape the pain, to "grow up"? Disgusting tweet.

Now another woman calls this dead woman a "psycho". What wonderful women in the Indian twitterrati. Well done, girls.

Is it a coincidence that these are urbane city women bashing a dead girl from Patna for killing herself over love? Anybody willing to bet these women ooh aah-ed over Juliet and Juhi in QSQT? "Grow up" "psycho".Sweety deserves better.

At the core, Sweety loved Smartu. He did not. He still loved his girlfriend. The marriage was a sham. That's all there was to it. 

There's no need to complicate the story. Yes, her brother and parents didn't notice until too late - because she kept quiet, wrote instead. I read the entire diary extract printed in the paper. She loved him, she was in deep pain, couldn't take it anymore. Her world was shattered.

Sweety chose to take her own life because she felt it was the honourable way out of a bad luck run according to the culture taught to her. Sweety wrote that nobody else is to blame for her decision. She had nothing but kind words for her mayka and sasural and husband.

The culture taught to Sweety says if the husband is not happy, it is your fault.I think a lot of people raised in this culture will disagree. The culture taught to Sweety says you are "pure" if you remain faithful to the husband who does not love you, never has, never will. The culture taught to Sweety says you should take your own life because in this way, you end the problem with dignity. I disagree.

Sweety told her parents she needn't get married too soon since the family did not have enough money saved up. They did not listen. Sweety rebuffed the advances of a male friend and also the son of family friends because she was already in love with her fiancee. Her last words were to Smartu. Get married again, but this time to a girl you love. Not every girl will be like Sweety. Sweety's last words to her parents told them not to blame her in-laws. Last words to her brother said now you don't have to protect me.

Sweety died of a broken heart. Sweety deserves better than the Editor of Mint Lounge bemoaning when will Indian women "grow up"?

Sweety died of a broken heart. Her only companion was her diary. She deserves better than to be called a "psycho" by an urbane woman. I read the entire diary extract. Sweety was not a "psycho" miss x and neither did she need to "grow up" miss y. Urbane women have no clue. Sweety was quite grown up enough, unless you feel romantics and women in love who don't expect betrayal are "immature" as you put it.

Sweety does not deserve disrespect and insensitivity from her own gender.

No apologies or backpedaling proffered when told commentary was insensitive and disrespectful to a dead woman's pain. Mint Editor FTW! I find it appalling when women run down other women, especially when that woman was hurting from a broken heart and killed herself.

Sweety had nobody in Bangalore to talk to. She was from Patna. She kept a diary. Would you call Anne Frank a "psycho"?

I am a small town girl. I am no stranger to a broken heart or betrayal. I've kept a diary all my life. Am I "Psycho"? Am I "immature"?

It looks like Indian twitterrati is commenting without reading the diary excerpt. It is not that she couldn't go back to her parents...her brother came to check on her and weeped. Everybody knew Smartu was having an affair with his girlfriend. It is the waste of her life.

Indian twitterrati fails to appreciate the immense burden Sweety felt herself to be when she realized her marriage was over.

Where to go? Sweety did not WANT to go back and be a burden on her parents. She couldn't land a job. Her marriage was over. Where could she go? I have read the entire diary excerpt this morning. Please talk to me about it. Please don't comment out of ignorance.

The last passage answers this Q "Why didn't she seek divorce and find love elsewhere?" She loved Smartu & culture taught to her. Her husband was terminating the 3 month old marriage in mid June as per the deadline informed to her. Where would she go?

Why don't people understand Sweety did what she did out of self-respect and out of pain and anguish and not wanting to burden her family!

She talked to nobody. She had no one. She wrote instead. She prayed. She interviewed and job hunted. All in family knew. Depression often means silence and immense pain. She wrote down her thoughts and feelings very well. It's crystal clear.

At first her MIL was angry at her, then sad when she realized she herself was at fault for forcing her son to marry.

She had a spate of bad luck.

Her world came crashing down almost immediately after wedding - they never went on honeymoon.

Finally, he took her away for 5 days but was extremely uncomfortable with her. She started to accept the rejection. She even preferred to be left alone. Finally, a day came when they slept separately. That's when she knew it was over.

Btw, when she first arrived in Bangalore, she discovered the bed was bought for Smartu's girlfriend and she was not allowed! When she first arrived in Bangalore, she slept on the carpet until a new bed arrived. She had nothing but bad luck for 3 months.  

After all the rejection from her husband and MIL, her pregnancy test was negative and she was rejected from job interviews. 

It is hard to see the sunshine when it's nothing but rain and clouds for 3 months, exactly the first 3 months of your marriage, now sham.  

Smartu fell in the classic trap. Family, timing, marriage, dowry, heart, love, girlfriend.

It is hard to imagine he will have a successful life in the near future. At the very least, this will haunt him for some time.

Sweety was going to the hospital for a common ovarian cyst syndrome. If she wanted, she could have spoken to counseling. Counseling/Pschyiatrists is not the way to go in India. They have no real useful non traditional answers, trust me, I know.


We're talking about a girl who loved a boy who became her husband. HER HUSBAND! She moved from Patna to Bangalore for him and her new life.



When you're sitting in a pile of crap 3 months high and no one around you, it is not very easy to believe tomorrow is another day.
---

At this point, I got locked out of Twitter for an hour because I exceeded their limit of 150 status updates per hour.

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Mini debate on Riganomics as invented by Ronald Reagan

'80s rule. Source: Flickscribe

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@RepWeiner #Weinergate Press Conference as heard on Twitter

[D] New York Congressman Weiner Twitter Profile Photo

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Renuka Chowdhury debates Team Anna (Kiran Bedi, Prashant Bhushan) on Times Now...badly

Outlook

Man, I sure hope Renuka Chowdhury does not speak for the UPA government. She is an embarrassment.  Is Prashant Bhushan "pessimistic" for talking about corruption in India on national tv? Is Anna Hazare "pessimistic" for trying to create a strong effective independent corruption fighting Ombudsman (Lokpal) who will not be held back by the complexities of red tape and multiple political masters?  

Image via Wikipedia

Since when it is "sad" to discuss the problems of the country and cite statistics? Since when do we "feel sorry" for Kiran Bedi, the world famous beloved ex-cop as she turns activist and points out the Indian people have silently suffered through decades of countless acts of corruption, big and small and stupendous and mundane?  To quote the lady herself, "Hellooo!"

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Support for Anna Hazare pours into Twitter @janlokpal and @thenewshour and @firstpostin

Hopey-changey candles at India Gate celebrating the end of Anna Hazare's fast

I've included my own Twitter conversations and a selection of the Retweets by @janlokpal but to give a full picture of the support pouring in for the Janlokpal movement, please do a public search for @thenewshour or #annahazare or #janlokpal or various derivations on Twitter.

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Lakshmi smiles on Lisa Blue

So, what do we have here?...an Australian spring/summer swimwear collection...
...professional models...cheeky, colourful, glitzy patterns and bold, stylish cuts...

BLKI

Doesn't hurt to throw in the quickest surefire route into headlines worldwide:
Make a garment out of man made images of man's favourite imaginary friend. 

For the record, Lakshmi is smiling.  Don't believe me?
Click the photograph to zoom in on the pretty lady's breasts.

BLKI

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Supreme Court: Sahara ka sahara to Nira Radia over 2G spectrum scam probe crosses Lakshman Rekha

A two member bench of the Supreme Court sent a contempt notice to Subroto Roy for attempted interference in the Enforcement Directorate's 2G spectrum scam probe on behalf of Nira Radia.

Source: Supreme Court of India

The Enforcement Directorate informed the court that Sahara Media journalists Upendra Rai and Subodh Jain attempted to harass assistant director Rajeshwar Singh who is probing the 2G spectrum scam and threatened to unleash a series of negative stories on him.

The court looked into the ED's complaint of interference and found enough evidence to "take suo motu cognizance and issue notices to them".

Justices G.S. Singhvi and A.K. Ganguly directed Sahara Media not to publish any story relating to the questionnaire of 25 personal questions Jain sent to Rajeshwar Singh otherwise "someone will become a government guest.  We have respect for all, but they should know where the Laxman Rekha is," warned the bench.

Now that's what I call an alert and active court.

With the Prime Minister's Office and the former Finance Minister defending themselves from accusations of shirking their responsibility for inaction that knowingly helped along the biggest theft of the Indian treasury in history, we need the judiciary to step up to the plate.  The investigation must be protected.  Thank you for looking out for the people, Justices Singhvi and Ganguly.

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Tehelka apologizes for smearing Shanti Bhushan; clarifies facts on land controversy

Tehelka Clarifies: The smears. And the facts about the Bhushans.

Thank you very much for doing the right thing, Tehelka.  You are the only India based news site on my Link List: PC Recommends.  I expect better from you.

Now will the rest of the irresponsible unprofessional prejudiced sections of the Indian media follow suit?  (I'm looking at you News X.) At this point, for this issue, I think that's pretty much everybody except Times Now.

If you're about to say what about NDTV, I take it you haven't seen Milking Fake Tweets yet?  I suppose we know CNN-IBN is kosher because they host Kiran Bedi ads.

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Search to Heal: Remembering a survivor of 26/11

As I type this, I am unable to maintain my composure.  

My face spasms for half a second every few seconds the way it does when you know you're about to dissolve into tears.  It is hard for me to control my tears remembering this young man.  

I saw him on one of Barkha Dutt's audience participation shows on NDTV right after 26/11.  His hard words and hollow aged appearance shook me up.  My eyes were wet instantly.  I couldn't stop sobbing as I thought of his ordeal and how he would be for the rest of his life.  

He and his mother were two of the survivors of the unconscionable madness of that day.  They escaped with their lives but not without irrevocable harm.  

Today, of all days, suddenly, out of nowhere, in response to a question posed by a friend, regarding celebrations over a terrorist's death, I find myself wondering whatever happened to that young man.  Where he is...how he is? Where is his mother...how is his mother? 

Thank you, my friend, tys, for provoking the memory, for listening to me remember the incident and for encouraging me to find out what happened to that young man.  This is the first step of my search to heal.  

I don't even remember his name...

_____

My chat with tys a few minutes ago:

bye...
tys said 14 seconds ago

find him buddy...
tys said 27 seconds ago

its the same day...one has come...the other will come...just 2 nations..having to face their own demons...atleast we have here a chance to observe...
tys said 1 minute ago

Especially today
Pundit Commentator said 14 seconds ago

on that day...it will help...both of u
tys said 17 seconds ago

u tend to become isolated...the world that u once knew and drew comfort from no longer exist..i think u shud find him
tys said 44 seconds ago

i understand.
Pundit Commentator said 51 seconds ago

i guess so...i have seen things that has made me doubt the humanity arnd me..i hve seen people doing things i have never imagined people could do...it
tys said 1 minute ago

you and i know that.
Pundit Commentator said 3 minutes ago

thats what tragedies do..makes u different.
tys said 3 minutes ago

i should....
Pundit Commentator said 3 minutes ago

maybe u shud find him...his life will be before the shootings and after.
tys said 4 minutes ago

normal happy young adult late 20s. changed forever.
Pundit Commentator said 4 minutes ago

i don't remember his name. i wonder how he is, where he is, how his mom is.
Pundit Commentator said 4 minutes ago

tragedy can tear u inside out...i know that..that was nice of u to write to him...at that time u tend to need support..
tys said 5 minutes ago

it's hard to stop my tears.
Pundit Commentator said 5 minutes ago

i feel very emotional remembering this incident right now.
Pundit Commentator said 5 minutes ago

i wrote him a message of commisseration. he was very kind to respond.
Pundit Commentator said 6 minutes ago

it literally changed his face. i am tearing up now typing this.
Pundit Commentator said 6 minutes ago

shit
tys said 7 minutes ago

the poor boy was shaken to his core.
Pundit Commentator said 7 minutes ago

looked him up on fb. (something i never do) and found a cheerful picture from before the attack. the same man now looked 50 years older.
Pundit Commentator said 7 minutes ago

i think i saw that too..

tys said 7 minutes ago

and?
tys said 7 minutes ago

he was at taj or oberoi wiht his mom, i think. young mid 20s. listening to him, i started sobbing.
Pundit Commentator said 7 minutes ago

good people got hurt for no fault of their own. it screws up your mind. i remember this one boy from mumbai talking at one of barkha dutt's shows.
Pundit Commentator said 8 minutes ago

have to go and hang up my halo...its giving me a headache..
tys said 8 minutes ago

same reaction. sense of closure.
Pundit Commentator said 9 minutes ago

i hope we treat it with dignity and rememberance . Its still life...and thats worth respect...otherwise there will not be any difference...no healing...no learning
tys said 9 minutes ago

i wonder how we will react to Kasab's execution.
tys said 12 minutes ago

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Modi, Aarushi, 2G, CWG: Unresolved Controversies Fatigue Rant [Update]

• 1: SIT submits report on Modi's role during the Gujarat riots
• 2: SC questions CBI over it's U-turn on Aarushi murder
• 3: Kanimozhi, Raja, DMK TV chief got Rs 200 crore bribe from DB: CBI
  
• 4: Kalmadi ends up in jail; accused of favoring Swiss company Omega

The common thread through the headlines today appears to be my own reaction.

I can't say I've read past every single headline on every single twist and turn for the past n number of years on the Gujarat riots or the Aarushi Talwar double murder case or the 2G telecom spectrum scam or the 2010 CWG scam.

But ah sure am gettin' tired'f readin'th headlyines, said PC in her best Scotty McCreery impersonation.

What does one take for unresolved controversies fatigue syndrome anyhow?  The red pill?

Which pill shall I take?
Source:Adam Kalel

Cue Morpheus.  Yes, Morpheus, I know you can only offer me the truth and nothing more. You see, the thing is, that's really all I want.  And don't worry about me so much! I already promised Col Jessop I can handle the truth.

Com'on now.  Can a blogger get some fresh blood around here?  Calling all attention-seeking-hoping-to-get-caught potential criminal minds.  Now's your time.  You serve it up.  I'll read it.

Disclaimer: Really? I need to write a disclaimer because some of you might accuse me of condoning future criminal activity? Really?

Update: Just what I suspected.  Don't expect justice for 13 year old Aarushi anytime soon.  According to an U.K based expert criminologist's opinion on the Aarushi Talwar double murder case, (the) "opportunity to collect crucial unadulterated evidence was missed. Unless fresh evidence comes to light, doubts will linger."  Thank you for taking the time, Deen Najubudeen.

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Shanti Bhushan CD - Cynics, Lies and Audiotape | India Reloaded.TV

Shanti Bhushan CD - Cynics, Lies and Audiotape | India Reloaded.TV

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