Sole witness of Delhi bus gang-rape calls BBC documentary 'fake'
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NEW DELHI: Awindra Pandey – the sole witness of the Dec 2012 savage gang-rape of a 23-year-old physiotherapist in New Delhi — has called British filmmaker Leslee Udwin's documentary "India's Daughter" on the murder and assault 'fake', said a report published on IBN Live.
Pandey, who was a friend of the victim, has supported the central government’s decision to ban “India's Daughter” which features a controversial interview with one of the convicts, Mukesh Singh.
According to the IBN Live report, he termed Udwin's handling of the issue as insensitive.
"The documentary is unbalanced as the victim's viewpoint is missing. The facts are hidden and the content is fake. Only Nirbhaya and I know what happened on that night and the documentary is far from the truth," said Pandey who had fought with the rapists to save his friend, but was overpowered and beaten brutally.
Earlier last week, India obtained a court order banning the film, which included the interview with Singh, on the grounds that it risked fueling public anger.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh said comments in which Singh blamed the 23-year-old victim, and said she should not have been out at night were “highly derogatory and an affront to the dignity of women”.
Take a look: India bans broadcast of gang-rapist documentary
Further backing his claim, Pandey said that he had never heard the name of tutor Satendra, who makes an appearance in the documentary.
"How does he know which movie I wanted to watch on that night," he questioned.
In the documentary, the tutor said:
"Awindra Pandey wanted to watch an action film while the victim wanted to watch 'Life of Pi'."
The victim's friend said a controversy was created unnecessarily and sensationalised.
"The documentary made fun of emotions and questioned the law and order situation in our country," he claimed in the IBN Live report.
Pandey was of the opinion that even though things slipped out of the Indian government's hand, it nonetheless took timely action.
Alleging that the film had 'stained' India's image and questioned the country's law and order situation, he went on to add that the documentary showed that any individual can enter the Central Jail of any country and interview a criminal.
On being asked whether he was approached to be a part of the film, he replied in the affirmative saying: "I was approached by many people when it started one and a half years ago in 2013. I did not want to be part of it as I was not convinced by its motive. Also, I was not mentally prepared and had health issues as well."
Pandey appealed that there should be a censor board in place for documentaries.
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On DawnNews
Comments (61) Closed
Mar 10, 2015 07:04pm
This guy's statement makes sense if what he says is true... but this looks to be a statement that comes due to political pressure... he has no real business to defend indian goverment's action
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Mar 10, 2015 07:18pm
You know things are seriously messed up when rape victims's friend and witness objects to the film b/c it 'stains' the country's image :S
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Mar 10, 2015 07:21pm
@Ammar Gill The rapist in the documentary and three others of the gang are already tried and sentenced to death. So they will be hanged.
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Mar 10, 2015 07:22pm
What a shame for BBC .just for hype and TRP making fake documentry. BBC loosing creditability
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Mar 10, 2015 07:35pm
Motivated undoubtedly by a twisted sense of patriotism to come forward and side with government action. Why would a famed film maker want to besmirch India's name and how are the shocking statements of the rapist disrespectful to the victims?
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Mar 10, 2015 07:38pm
Wrong choice of words. How can it be fake? It shows interviews with victim's parents and one of the rapists. Maybe the witness meant to say incorrect and not fake but which parts of the documentary are incorrect? Parents interview, rapist interview or both or the version of the events?
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Mar 10, 2015 07:39pm
This is the problem with both Indians and Pakistanis they always so obsessed with the image of their country rather than the basic human rights of the citizens of their countries.
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Mar 10, 2015 07:45pm
What is going on in India? After reading this i am recalling recent boat drama made by Indian authorities.
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Mar 10, 2015 07:45pm
Nothing wrong with Mr. Pandey having an opinion. It does not change much of the content of the BBC documentary. It is time for Indians specially those in the Hindi belt to realize that women are in general treated badly . This is shown by the gender ratio, higher malnutrition in girls and dowry deaths. Mr. pandey should work on those issues.
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Mar 10, 2015 08:08pm
the documentary may be exaggerated but it is not fake. the reason that the sole witness is terming it fake is probably because in the film the rapist says that the witness hid behind a seat in the bus after putting up a short initial fight. he did not attempt to save his friend thus saving his own life.
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Mar 10, 2015 08:25pm
This poor fellow is being pressured by indian government to make these false statements. Watch the documentary. There is no controversy. they simply let the rapist give his version which doesn't absolve them of anything. They admit to the rape.
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Mar 10, 2015 08:26pm
He's concerned about the tutor's name or how he knew which movie.. None of that matters, the rape that took place matters. Perhaps he was forced to publically denounce the documentary.
The interview with one of the rapist is enough to air this documentary to show people the true evil face of these animals!
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Mar 10, 2015 08:33pm
This month two separate rape case occurred,one in UK probably on March 8 and the other in US but the British documentarist Udwin failed to take interview and make documentary in those 2 case and including one this month which is among many in her own country UK.
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Mar 10, 2015 08:48pm
For how long Indians will hide the massive problems problems in their societies behind their non-real Bollywood movies?
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Mar 10, 2015 09:26pm
Why does BBC need 'the viewpoint of the the victim'? She was not guilty of anything. The documentary was to find out why those guys raped her and to expose the mentality of many Indian men on rape.
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Mar 10, 2015 09:34pm
Whoever knows real India, not the one through Bollywood movies, will believe the bbc documentary. The film uncovers the real picture
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Mar 10, 2015 09:37pm
I think he is being persuaded or even blackmailed into saying these things so the govt can prove that their ban is justified.
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Mar 10, 2015 09:37pm
It's very sad to get remember old memories. Well everyone's know that film maker's add some scene in film which are not true like India do in Children of War.
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Mar 10, 2015 09:41pm
@govind ..recent news coming in that the rapist was paid abt $600 dollars to make sensational statements for the documentary.
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Mar 10, 2015 09:49pm
The Producer/Director of Documentary should have sought this sole witness's opinion instead of interviewing those two lawyers who are defending convicts in this case.
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Mar 10, 2015 10:02pm
@fatima Unfortunately thats why there are so many rape cases in India. What Image? when there is so much human suffering. In a closed society like India, where just ugly issues are swept under carpet, can you imagine the actual number? sickening, just sickening....
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Mar 10, 2015 10:19pm
So, the Indian Government got the better of Mr. Awindra Pandey in a bid to discredit the documentary. He should have acted more responsibly and stood up to the government's crude attempt to muzzle the truth. Mr. Pandey owed it to the memory of the deceased lady to come out with the facts.
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Mar 10, 2015 10:22pm
@Ammar Gill I agree the monsters are to be hanged. But BBC is not the one to juding hanging. Indian people and courts will do that.
One in 5 college going girls in the US are being raped. While the Indian situation needs to be addressed and I am sure it will be given the kind of attention it is getting with in the country, we don't need BBC to make money from it.
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Mar 10, 2015 10:31pm
They are just trying to fudge it now by blaming BBC. It was all factual based on interviews, so what's "fake" about that? The reality is if a Minister blames the 23-year-old victim instead for going out at night with friend then what can you say about the misogynist attitude of others?
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Mar 10, 2015 10:45pm
And the mother lied? This guy is making up. He was hiding when everything was happening instead of helping the girl said the girls mother.
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Mar 10, 2015 10:52pm
Whatever victims dad said it should be shown so
Who are you?? Jine of the lamp!
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Mar 10, 2015 10:52pm
The real issues are:
- How can we prevent such crimes?
- How do we ensure speedy justice?
- What can be done for the victims?
No one is talking about it nor this documentary covers anything except for providing a platform to a rapist to express his views. Now this guy is talking about fake movie names etc. which will generate dozen more news articles.
What is wrong with people of sub-continent?
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Mar 11, 2015 12:14am
This coward who let his girl friend be raped and jumped out of the bus to save himself, is more worried about 'country's image' ( again another one living in a make believe falsified image) than the poor girl who died so brutally at the hands of indians. A human sacrificed for maintaining an 'image'.
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Mar 11, 2015 12:15am
@govind you are a sensible indian. A rarity.
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Mar 11, 2015 12:40am
@suman the poor girls parents tears were not fake the monsters who raped her said they did that was not fake, the only fake matter was this friend of hers who did not try to save her according to the monsters who raped he he was hiding behind the seat when she was being raped, if he was half a man he would have taken part in the doco for the bbc and told his side of the story. to see the poor girls parents crying was enough to make the hardest of hearts break.
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Mar 11, 2015 12:57am
@Harmony... The reality is if a Minister blames the 23-year-old victim instead for going out at night with friend
No, actually that is a different Singh (Mukesh Singh ..the rapist?) than the Home minister Singh. That sentence in article is very poorly worded. This is the issue I have with almost all newspapers (Including NYtimes ) practice to jump between last names. It is confusing if someone is reading fast.
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Mar 11, 2015 01:36am
I don't want to defend the rapist, the witness or even ban. But its seriously questionable when you don't mention the sole witness of the rape in the docu. And leslee udwin herself is a rape victim. Why not do her own story? We know how many rape cases are there in the uk or the us. Why do a documentary on a rape case that the whole world knows about?? It's seriously shady.
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Mar 11, 2015 01:49am
@fatima Country's image will get better when women will feel safe in the country. Further, Women lives are more important than country's image.
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Mar 11, 2015 01:51am
@suman how can it be fake when the documentary is based on the true story.
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Mar 11, 2015 01:59am
Ok sir, if the documentary is fake, then why don't you tell your side of the story and let the people decide. I bet I won't be much different.
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Mar 11, 2015 02:10am
So India was right to van the film
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Mar 11, 2015 02:13am
INDIA is facing its demons, unfortunately pakistan is not prepared to face these issues yet
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Mar 11, 2015 02:53am
@fatima yes, instead of the honour of the family, it has come down to honour of the country. Women should shut up for the honour of the country these days. Patriarchy finds new ways to emerge, never really goes away
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Mar 11, 2015 03:09am
The 3rd world hasn't figured out freedom of expression and till they do they will lag the West.
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Mar 11, 2015 03:29am
@Awais Ali It is only called Drama in Pakistan. In rest of the world it is not called Drama.
Does not matter who destroyed the boat what matters is the intent of the occupants of the boat. When they saw coast guard they ran away and continued to run until they were shot at. So basically there weren't coming to our shores to distribute halwa puri but this does not enter the brains of your esteemed "Feku" security and defense analysts where facts are produced out of thin air.
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Mar 11, 2015 03:32am
@Tamil You are wrong. They both were badly beaten, disrobed and dumped at the same place
http://fridaymagazine.ae/features/the-big-story/delhi-gang-rape-victim-s-friend-tortured-by-guilt-1.1321650
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Mar 11, 2015 04:01am
Countries are for the people or people are fir the countries? Doc is not for one girl it demands attention to save possible thousands more.
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Mar 11, 2015 04:09am
He needs to look and support the bigger cause rather than making it personal.
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Mar 11, 2015 04:11am
I feel very sorry for Mr. Pandey and Ms. Nirbhaya and their loved ones. It does not matter who is right or wrong. That day changed their lives forever and there is no going back to "good old days". Very painful day.
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Mar 11, 2015 06:07am
Rape in India is not particularly high(in terms of percentage of population) compared to the UK, US and Germany. According to the UN, there are 1.8 rapes per 100,000 in India, the corresponding number in the UK is 23 rapes per 100,000. In Germany and US its higher than in the UK. India being a country 20 times the population of UK, the absolute number of rapes will obviously be higher. What matters is the rape rate, not absolute numbers. Pakistan does not even have stats in their rape rate, which is even worse. So while i dont support the ban on the documentary, I do think it fails to put india's rape problem in perspective. It gives people the impression, rape is rampant when it isn't.
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Mar 11, 2015 06:09am
Why was Pandey interviewed by Udwin? There was an accusation against him that he hid behind a seat while his friend was being raped and tortured. An injustice was done to him and therefore he is speaking up and not because he was pressured.
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Mar 11, 2015 06:11am
@govind This fellow could have become an overnight hero if he wanted but preferred to keep distance from media unlike Nirbhaya's parents. This documentary can be a priority for media but not for Govt. of India. Indian Govt. will not take the pain to find out this person and make him speak against the documentary.
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Mar 11, 2015 06:13am
@Shakil_Seena No dear,allegation has become paying,thanks,NGOs,the said victim and her ;boyfriend;from two different castes were ,perhaps .engaged in pre-marital misconduct but morals are not issues here in our courts
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Mar 11, 2015 06:14am
@waqar do u believe everything what a rapist tells you...any way this documentary is only half true as the viewpoint of the victim via the sole witness is absent.... True
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Mar 11, 2015 06:22am
Key witness, Awindra Pandey sold himself to Government because Indian government was against airing the story, there is nothing wrong with BBC documentary "India's Daughter".
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Mar 11, 2015 07:41am
@Vectra ,those 2 cases you mentioned,victims are enjoying the money which they collected by suing but the poor girl in India is burned to ashes,did you see the difference?
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Mar 11, 2015 10:01am
@Tamil "This coward who let his girl friend be raped and jumped out of the bus to save himself"
Where did you get this fake info? In that documentary??
He was with that girl all the time; even after the rapist throw the girl and him on road (he didn't jumped out of the bus). He was with the girl when police was busy to decide in who's area that case happened.
He is not bruce lee or similar. He tried his best to stop the rape and he failed. He got many injuries.
Blaming someone is very easy. Shame on people like you who ignore facts and believe in fake documentaries. Read the old news paper and see the old news reports to know the facts.
To all Pakistanis:
Such rapes do happen in Pakistan also. Would you like to do similar documentaries on those rapes? If yes, please feel free to invite BBC. They love such issues in another country.
Documentaries should be done with responsibilities and not like this one. Shame on BBC.
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Mar 11, 2015 12:38pm
@Mohammed Niyaas live in fools paradise forever, media will make you doubt even yourself, Indian media is back stabber and works for money, western media has nothing else to do except tainting other nations( including pakistan and hindustan). Has nirbhaya been alive, you will believe only the media version but not her version, because what media says is the holyword for many of your sycophants.
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Mar 11, 2015 12:44pm
@Good Pakistani Girl nothing is hidden in India, what you read is the high drama designed by the so called media houses for sake of increasing their TRP rating, Nirbhaya has provided livelihood to another journalist, the british journalist used nirbhaya's story to gain attention and earn money, there is no other better country than India which is so open for debate on any issue. Check human development report to see the rape rate throughout the world you can know the reality.
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Mar 11, 2015 05:31pm
The documentary did not stain India's image, the brutal rape did, Pandey.
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Mar 11, 2015 05:53pm
@jagan - Forget the name for a minute, why mention 'Home Minister' if he didn't say anything? Are you saying he did not say this or is at an attempt to brush it under the carpet?
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Mar 11, 2015 08:57pm
Fact: @BBCWorld paid Rs.40,000 to a rapist for a Documentary and also they paid co-producer @dibang to defame India.
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Mar 12, 2015 12:37am
Just youtube this guys old interviews. He is lying here .not much difference in event narration in documntary.
Its gov threatening him prolly
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Mar 12, 2015 03:57am
Sounds like the victim's friend is obecting more about the negative image of the country that comes across in this documentary. The desi ghairat brigade in action.
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Mar 12, 2015 09:32am
Haha wow what a man he is… he witnessed his friend being murdered but he still chooses not to support women who are trying to bring light to the incident and expose the thinking of these kinds of men. I just lost a lot of respect for you dude.
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Mar 13, 2015 03:36pm
@fatima did u even read the article, they objected because it was fake
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