"Slumdog" Child Star Up For Sale?

The life of nine-year-old Rubina Alis seemed like a fairy tale -- a child from a Mumbai, India slum who found fame and whose future seemed bright and assured -- just like her character in the Academy Award-winning film she starred in, "Slumdog Millionaire" -- an inspirational rags-to-riches tale.

But, reports CBS News corresondent Sheila MacVicar, in a classic British tabloid sting, undercover reporters working for the News Of The World say Rubina's father offered to sell her -- for $300,000.

There's no audio of the meeting on the newspaper's video report, but the paper claims the meen seen in it are her father and uncle.

The image, says the tabloid, was taken during the meeting in which the pair named their price for little Rubina.

The newspaper reporters (whose faces are blocked out of the image) claimed to be a wealthy Arab couple, moved by her story, who wanted to adopt the girl.

The News Of The World claims the family set the asking price, saying "This is no ordinary child, this is an Oscar child."

The family denies any attempt to sell Rubina, but they have complained they haven't benefited from the huge amounts of money "Slumdog" took in at the box office.

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toldyouso29 says:: It should be noted that persons in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Egypt etc often sell their children into prostitution, as child brides, rarely for adoption. People even sell their sons, daughters as slaves or indentured servants--also done in the Phillipines, Thailand, S. America and Eastern Europe. Human trafficking is a huge business.; reply

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babooph says:: I thought only lawyers could sell people ?; reply

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fundu2009 says:: they havent benefited..so damn what?! they shld be proud of her daughter; reply

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fundu2009 says:: crazy people...u have got to be kidding me who would want to put there kid up for sale how rude and selfish...; reply

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savithaswaminathan says:: The economic recession and the rising anger among so many people whose life suddenly has taken turns they never thought possible when born in the western world seems to have left everyone with a complete lack of perspective and rationale. While there is so much dissection of the fathers actions no one seems to be taking note of the kind of journalism happening here. The decision of the western media to go undercover and pose as a potential buyer in order to rake this sensational story which no doubt has got the attention of millions is not much more ranked on the moral scale than the father of that girl. Their plot is no better than dangling a dozen bananas in front of a hungry monkey.....it is a pitiful abuse of people from less priviledged backgrounds who battle some of the worst living conditions in the world. The toughest decision most of us reading these stories have to make is whether or not to maintain 2 cars for a 3 member family, it is not in our mental capacity to comprehend the agony, suffering and frustrations that these families go through. To make use of their situation and hit them at their biggest weakness in order to make a sensational story and then have millions of people with far btter lives sit on their high horse and comment about the actions of a whole community whose perspective we cannot relate to no matter how hard we try is completely absurd, presumptous and arrogant. The media conducting such journalism is to be reprimanded here far more than the poverty stricken families in a thirdworld.; reply

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lost_america says:: I think lost_america might consider learning some new job skills. I'm sorry that he/she has contented themselves for so long doing the menial work of a Third World laborer. You need to seek a job/career path that is in demand in the US. Start with an inventory assessment test to find out what you might like doing, and go from there...Good luck! You shouldn't consider life in the United States so limiting. Look at how many immigrants come here and do so well after starting with so few resources. You can make it too!
Posted by rajreddi at 5:08 PM : Apr 20, 2009
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

So you know, I am a 48 year old IT professional with 28 years experience. My and 250 of my co-worker's job has gone to India.

Thanks for your concern, I'll just go re-train now; reply

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Dgunner says:: I checked ebay and there was nothing to compare the price with. I think three hundred thousand is too much to give the father. Twenty nine cents of lead and gunpowder seems more appropiate.; reply

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sero5 says:: Maybe one of you progressives would care to explain how the world can come together as one when there are still cultures out there that think selling a kid for a quick buck is a good idea?
Posted by tbbaot at 3:37 PM : Apr 20, 2009

Selling children is not reflective of an entire culture of people. It is a crime of a few.; reply

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rajreddi says:: I think lost_america might consider learning some new job skills. I'm sorry that he/she has contented themselves for so long doing the menial work of a Third World laborer. You need to seek a job/career path that is in demand in the US. Start with an inventory assessment test to find out what you might like doing, and go from there...Good luck! You shouldn't consider life in the United States so limiting. Look at how many immigrants come here and do so well after starting with so few resources. You can make it too!; reply

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tbbaot says:: Maybe one of you progressives would care to explain how the world can com together as one when there are still cultures out there that think selling a kid for a quick buck is a good idea?; reply