The family of Slumdog Millionaire child star Rubina Ali is trying to sell the girl for a reported $300,000.
News of the World sent two reporters to India and disguised them as a wealthy couple from Dubai. They then arranged a meeting with the family to discuss the terms.
Rubina’s father, Rafiq, told the couple that he is interested in selling his daughter so that she can grow up in a wealthy household. The money collected from the sale of the child would also help to get his family out of the slums.
Rubina’s family feels they are owed something after the child’s success in the Academy Award winning film.
The person who tipped off News of the World said,
“Dad Rafiq is streetwise and knows that soon his daughter’s success will be forgotten and her moment of fame will be over. He has a family to feed and simply can’t afford it. He is keen to find a rich family to bring up Rubina but only if they are willing to help the whole family to get out of the slums.”
The tipster also described Rafiq as an opportunist, looking to cash in on his daughter while the getting is good.
Read more about the story at News of the World.
UPDATE: People magazine is reporting that Rubina’s family is denying these reports.
Rafiq says that the News of the World reporters were, “a couple of journalists playing games with me.” Rubina’s mother added, “We are poor, yes, but not so poor that we have to sell our children. The whole thing is a lie.”
Even little Rubina had a comment to share. “I trust my father. He loves me. He has never said that he wants to give me up. I did meet an uncle and auntie in a big hotel but it was not about adoption. I will never give any foreign journalist an interview again.”
So, I guess the question of the day is, for the betterment of your child, could you give them up to a wealthy family in hopes that they would have more opportunities available than you could afford them?
Trying to sell your child for money is sickening…but it sounds as though this family feels that they can’t give their child the life she deserves..but then again money isnt everything. I just don’t understand how you could hand your daughter off to a perfect stranger for cash. The only way i could ever do that is if my daughter needed health care that i couldn’t afford and she was going to die or if she needed food and shelter. But defininlty not for my own benefit.
Hmmm, the thought of me selling my kid breaks my heart. I just couldn’t see me handing over my child…but also, I wouldn’t have had any kids if I couldn’t afford them either.
This whole thing tears me apart, not just because its her or the fact that selling children is so wrong. The thing that is bugging me the most today is that if she weren’t a superstar — America would never even hear about it — its a common thing in some places and this is the only real way that we see the point driven home. The world creeps me out.
Sam, true, true. It is so sad! I am still bothered by the fact that they blind them and deform them intentionally over there..
No stranger could ever give a child the love that any good parent gives their child. THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT GOOD PARENTS!