Somya Lakhani
@somyalakhani
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Associate Editor, Hindustan Times; Previously: The Quint, The Indian Express.
Delhi, India
Joined May 2010
Chanda, a factory worker in Mayapuri Industrial Area, has found her world shrinking from the 1,483 sq km expanse of #Delhi to a 3 sq km area that she can safely navigate. Looking at women safety through the stories of the city’s mahila mazdoor. #ElectionPincode . My report.
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desh ka bhavishya kaafi jhand hai.
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Jazbaa dekhiye: that's freelance journalist #MandeepPunia in a police car earlier today. Photo by another fearless reporter @PunYaab
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My uncle, who needs dialysis thrice a week, was denied the procedure after the hospital insisted he get a #Covid negative report, said my aunt. My uncle got a test done a few days ago, the result hasn't come yet, dialysis didn't happen, and now he's DEAD. He's no more. Gone.
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"Joey doesn't share food" is misused so much on dating apps. Nahi khaane tere fries, bhai. Grow a personality that is beyond sitcoms ffs, you're 34! 🙄.
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Pay attention to vocabulary being used to describe the #KisanParade on TV: "elements," "so-called farmers," "worrying development," "hooligans.".
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Today is my last day at The Indian Express -- my home for 11 years. Immensely grateful to my colleagues, editors, readers over the years. A new chapter awaits :)
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Besharmi ki hadde paar kar di hai iss channel ne.
Social distancing goes for a toss at Hyderabad's Mecca masjid on Day 1 of Ramadan. #ITVideo #Ramadan #coronavirus
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THREAD: .Lost my uncle to #Covid in Rishikesh yesterday afternoon. His heartbroken daughter drove back home from Delhi, reached at 11 pm, sat across her mother & cried, unable to hug each other. Mins later, her mother collapsed. Decalred dead at midnight.
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Only Brinda Karat and Hannan Mollah at #Jahangirpuri today. Where is the Opposition? And why did no one go to Jahangirpuri? Were they all busy brainstorming what to tweet?.
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Her face 😂.
'When your channel does popcorn interviews with PM & HM your body language is different. Ask them: did GoI use #PegasusSpyware? Yes or No?'. Original interview with @TimesNow was 50 min. Channel then telecast a thanda 25 min version. Someone sent me this 10 min version🤗🤗WATCH
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In today's horror show: a former IAS officer calling a man who burnt Graham Staines & his two sons alive a hero. Sickening is an understatement!
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That's my buddy @ArunDev1 asking all the right questions, doing his job, and reminding the rest of us how it's done.
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Saw my Naani in my dream last night & she said, "Log aisi bakwaas karenge, hass ke screenshot leke Twitter par post kar dena." .Strictly following orders here 🤷
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@derekobrienmp roughed up by Joint Magistrate, #Hathras, at the barricades -- 1.5 km away from the victim's house.
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Unsurprising behaviour. These societies that you & I inhabit are full of such classist, casteist, ill-mannered, short-tempered arrogant Raja betas who not only verbally abuse the housekeeping staff but will also stoop down to hitting them. Despicable lot.
When a person gets trapped in the lift in Nirvana Country Society of #Gurugram, the man slapped the guard when he got out of the lift.
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My 28-yr-old sister, who has aced every exam she has ever taken, flunked the learner's licence written test today 😂.
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I find #Clubhouse far more dangerous than useful. There are day-long RW rooms dedicated solely to #Islamophobia, and there is rampant misinformation. People are spewing venom for 12 hours straight. I'm horrified but not surprised one bit.
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Please by all means lose your bigoted, racist, sexist friends, and the apolitical ones too. These friends will be of no use EVER.
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Watermark @TheDeshBhakt ka, story meri. Sahi hai, boss.
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Khet mazdoor Shivaji from #Maharashtra's Chandwad reached #Shahjahanpur -- 1,080 km away -- with Rs 100, a bedsheet, & resolve. "Not going home till farm laws withdrawn," he said. My report from the protest site 130 km away from Delhi, where #FarmersProtest on for 2 weeks:
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I’ve been in #Delhi all my life, plenty summers to know that this year stepping out for just a 15 mins is a task. 41 degrees at 10 pm, the nauseating heat all day. Those of us confined in our AC homes find it unbearable. Think of the city’s poor forced to live & work outdoors.
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Important story: FIR against Altaf was filed 90 mins after his death. #Kasganj .#CustodialDeath.
Kasganj custodial death: Police found Altaf 'hanging’ at 2:30 pm, FIR of kidnapping a minor girl against him was registered at 4 pm. General diary entry also made at 4 pm. Health department sources confirmed Altaf was brought to the Ashok Nagar CHC at 4:10 pm. #Ireport.
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My very Punjabi uncle who has finally recovered from #Covid called my father at midnight with a question most important: "ek-du peg laga la hun, docsaab? Report negative haigi, bottle khulli haigi.".
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My whole family is watching the Delhi CM briefing right now where he is talking about hospital beds, PPEs, tracing plans, rapid testing kits & his #Covid_19 strategy. People want a leader who will go beyond symbolism & give you numbers, a plan & confidence.
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Everyone’s coughing. Everyone’s wheezing. The air in Delhi is so poisonous, even staying indoors isn’t helping. Terrible headache, watery eyes, and that terrible smell of tar in the air. The buck stops nowhere though.
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Common sense.
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I'm not buying people's "shock" at the ages of the accused in the #BulliBaiApp case. It's not sudden, it's not a post-2014 phenomenon. It was always there -- in school, at the tution place, on the basketball court. Kids parroted the garbage they heard on the dinner table.
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To be sooooo DULL that you don't even understand banter 🙄 . Calm the fuck down.
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The Delhi Police Special Cell has filed an FIR under sections 153A, 295A & 354A of the IPC in the matter pertaining to the video of a #Clubhouse chat where derogatory comments were made against Muslim women. @TheQuint.
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When a complaint was filed against Hindu College Prof #RatanLal over 'offensive' post on #Shivling, he told @TheQuint: 'If everything hurts religious sentiments, then we shouldn't say anything at all. As historians, we are supposed 2 ask questions.'. Arrested now by @DelhiPolice.
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Propaganda, not blooper.
Abhro, not Abhor.
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Terrible news from Delhi's #LNJP hospital: two nursing officers succumbed to #Covid today. Rest in peace, Elizabeth Joseph & Ravinder Kaur ji 🙏. #healthcareworkers
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"Even though I'm from an upper-middle class family, & a doctor, who did good work, I was penalised. My privilege didn’t protect me. In 2017 #YogiAdityanath changed the narrative from deaths of kids to me deliberately,” said @drkafeelkhan. My report:.
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I'm sorry but this Twitter model of SOS and scrambling to find #HospitalBeds #oxygen, #PlasmaDonors is just not fuckin sustainable. 8/10 leads don't work. Do we have a central helpline number in #Delhi for #COVIDEmergency? . This is also NOT our job. Sarkaaro Ka kya point?.
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SHOCKED to know that there's more to working out than buying workout clothes. Appalling. I spent money, just give me fitness now.
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Thread: .I thought I had heard all the #Partition stories my family had to tell. I was wrong, thankfully:) I don't remember how we stumbled upon this today, mom & I. Sometime in the '80s, my mum's neighbour -- a Mr Gossain -- visited Pakistan to see his ancestral home.
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People are NOT figures. Don't let this heartless govt, & its cheerleaders ever tell you that things are okay. Entire families are left broken, we grieve in little corners of our homes, alone. Mom & I have #Covid, & we couldn't even hug Papa as he wept silently for uncle.
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"Woh patri par kyu soye?"."Woh paidal kyun nikal pade?"."Woh ghar se baahar khaane ki taalaash mein kyu nikale?". Inn sawaalon ke jawaab hum sab ke paas hai. Poochhne se pehle sochiye kya poochh rahe hai. #MigrantLabourers #aurangabadtragedy.
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On her wedding anniversary, mum went into isolation. Today, on her birthday, she's out of isolation, and has recovered well from #Covid. My Gulaabo has turned 60! And in the midst of all this gloom, this milestone fills me with happiness & gratitude. Happy Birthday, Mummmaaa🌸
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I AM SO EMBARRASSED FOR HER.
#Gravitas | The #PegasusProject floats in the realm of possibility. There's more insinuation than fact. Here's @palkisu's take on the alleged #PegasusSnoopgate.
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I love my cousin for being so thoughtful & ensuring there is a Maggi counter at her wedding tonight ❣️🤣
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My father has summed up all debates & conversations around #COVIDー19 in one line, "Sab pagal hai, Kisi ko Kuch Nahi pata hai.".
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We should be fuckin terrified and angry after reading the #PegasusProject revelations. It's sinister, to put it politely. A woman accuses a CJI of sexual harassment, 11 phone numbers used by her & fam get selected for snooping. This is MESSED UP.
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Let April 20 be remembered as the day my senior citizen father, a doctor at private hospitals, wore a #PPE for the 1st time since the #Coronavirus outbreak in the country. That we feel a sense of relief is an understatement. Here's a photo of Papa 💪
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The Chief Minister of Delhi, seen maskless in the video, has now tested positive for #Covid.
As the third wave overwhelms the country, the Chief Minister of Delhi in an election rally, surrounded by a crowd, with no mask. Human lives have no value in this country, not for ANY political leader, just power. No lesson learnt from the devastating second wave.
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PTI reporting that Maharashtra police "found 300 migrant labourers crammed inside two containers." They're trying to return home. Read the 1st sentence again. I repeat, this is a humanitarian crisis we're watching unfold in India. #CoronavirusLockdown.
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This is not "mind-blowing work ethic," it's fear of "losing money & the job," it's knowing that companies like Zomato & Swiggy refuse to treat delivery partners as human beings. This is exploitation.
Hi @zomato @deepigoyal, mindblown by Manish Bhageluram Gupta's work ethic. He accidentally dropped his wallet at a restaurant where he picked up our food. It was stolen. Instead of waiting there, he came to our house to deliver our order, and even said sorry for the short delay.
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"My parents are trying to cope in a difficult situation. They are elderly people. Not animals in a zoo,” said Dr Manmohan Singh's daughter Damandeep.
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THREAD:.There's a #Partition story about my great-grandmother that I've held on to for some time now but all this talk about horrors remembrance makes me want to narrate it. This is about my mother's paternal grandmother or daadi -- loved & feared by all who knew her.
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Everyone has an #SRK story. And so do I. Stories, in fact. Unable to pen down a single one now. All I know is that every time I am in love, I owe it to SRK. He taught us romance, of course. But he also taught us kindness in love, an aspect I hold on to so tightly now.
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Two kids I know have made a colourful "Welcome home, Mumma" poster. Crayons, flowers, balloons, chart-paper. At home, no one knows how to tell them their Mumma is no more. She's another #Covid statistic you'll throw at my face to tell me "see, cases are coming down." Fuck off.
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Thread: .A year ago, at this hour exactly I was in Maujpur in northeast Delhi. For days, weeks & months, I -- like several other reporters -- filed multiple stories on the #DelhiRiots. On the violence, the perpetrators, the victims, the burnt homes & shops, the fear.
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Where the fuck are our celebrities? Why are they not amplifying SOS calls? Some have 1M followers on Twitter & IG. How dare you sit your asses down while the country suffers like this? Fuck your movies, your shows, your ads, your music, your shampoos & kurkure. #COVIDー19.
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A 25-yr-old man, identified as Rajaram, died after being thrashed over suspicion of "cow slaughter" in Delhi's Dwarka on Monday. #DelhiPolice has filed 2 FIRs, & arrested 5 ppl accused of cow slaughter. Murder accused yet to be nabbed, investigation is on, says police. @TheQuint.
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Dus rupaye de turture 🤣🤣🤣.
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April 11 will be remembered as the day my senior citizen father, a doctor at private hospitals, got his first N95 mask since the #Corona outbreak.
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THIS IS NOT WHAT GENDER-NEUTRAL MEANS FFS.
कैसे देते हैं प्रधानमंत्री मोदी इंटरव्यू? Eye-contact कितना है ज़रूरी? बताया @anjanaomkashyap ने . #AnjanaUnplugged #PMModi #genderequality
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Our house is quiet, not a smile on anyone's face. Just going about our day without any eye contact. We are grieving. WEAR YOUR MASKS. #Covid is destroying lives, entire families. Be safe.
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All of Delhi showing up to eat at #BabaKaDhaba is beautiful. This, however, is because of one video that went viral. There are plenty struggling across cities just like this lovely old couple. Do your bit, reach out to them. Stop by & ask, "sab khairiyat?".
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“After what happened in #Hathras with the 19-year-old Dalit woman, we decided to convert,” said Inder Ram (65), “There is no caste in Buddhism; no one is a Thakur or a Valmiki there. Everyone is a human being, everyone is just a Buddhist.”.
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A woman toiled for years at a stone quarry in Haryana in the '80s to repay a Rs 20 loan. Men were paid Rs 2/day there, women 50p less. Spoke to those rescued from bonded labour by #SwamiAgnivesh, who died Friday. #ExpressFrontPage report with @Ananyati .
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They're all "doggo lovers," "420 appreciators," "APOLITICAL," "easy going," "love travelling," & looking only for "good vibes" like it's a fuckin Yoga retreat.
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If the Delhi Police & the land owning authority DDA had denied permission to Save India Foundation to hold the "#HinduMahaPanchayat" at Burari Ground today, then how did it take place today?.
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The world is truly ending.
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Parag Lal Yadav's mother told him on 7 Dec 1992 morning, a day after #BabriMasjid was demolished: "No matter what happens to you, no harm should come to Razia & her mother." . 30 yrs later, I met Parag & Razia in #Ayodhya. This report is a part of our #SeculaRhythm project.
#SeculaRhythm | A day after the Babri Masjid demolition in Dec 1992, violence reached Razia Khatoon's house colony in #Ayodhya. For 2 days, she took shelter at neighbour Parag Lal Yadav's house. @somyalakhani visited their colony 30 years later. Read more:
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#MeenakshiSundareshwar is the DULLEST movie I have watched in years, and "engineers make the best husbands" is the WORST dialogue I have ever heard.
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Rahul Kapoor, an 18-yr-old from #Lucknow, has been summoned for questioning by the #DelhiPolice Cyber Cell in connection to the #Clubhouse case. Police claims his user ID was "Bismillah," & he created the chat room on Clubhouse. His mobile phone has been seized. @TheQuint.
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Walked to the chemist 3 mins away from my house, saw three big groups of #migrantlabourers from Bihar, trying to reach an ISBT from where they can catch a private bus home. "Rs 4,000 per person," one said. We are watching an unprecedented crisis unfold in front of our eyes daily.
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Under "Imma bounce," there is a "bounced cheque" apparently in the video 😂😂. "Imma bounce" means "I am leaving," buddy. Where the young people at?
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The FIR in the death of Faizan--a 24-yr-old who was filmed lying injured on the ground with 4 others, as men in police gear forced them to sing the national anthem during #DelhiRiots--makes no mention of an accused or the videos. @jignasa_sinha & I report:.
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A wrong number just asked me if I'm taking care of myself & if I'm healthy. ☺️ When the woman found out she dialled a wrong number, she introduced herself any way and inquired about my well-being. My ❤️ is a puddle.
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A doc weeps, wants to quit; nurse returns to work days after #Covid deaths in family; nursing orderly queues at O2 plant, ferries bodies to crematoria -- #healthcareworkers share stories of #Covid mayhem in #Delhi. I write for @Article14live.
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"These heart-wrenching pics were taken by a young photojournalist friend, Amit, who said, 'I've risked my life to capture them.' He's not on Twitter, his IG handle is amit_captures. Share his work, give him work. He's not doing too well financially," -- @AndrewAmsan. #CovidIndia.
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#DelhiClassicalMusicFestival at the beautiful #SunderNursery is what #Delhi dreams are made of — the air is nippy, the smell of a 1000 flowers hangs above the gorgeous venue as Pt. Rajendra Prasanna weaves magic with the flute. Kudos to the Delhi Govt. for this, on till tom. Go!
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The woman is now a statistic, the rear end of a speeding ambulance, a lit pyre. @jignasa_sinha & I went to the #Hathras village looking for a 19-year-old.
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My mum's evening project: turning all plastic crap into pots 💚
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Exactly what happened in #ShaheenBagh in 2020.
#WATCH | Delhi: Group of people claiming to be locals gather at Singhu border demanding that the area be vacated. Farmers have been camping at the site as part of their protest against #FarmLaws.
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This delay in getting the #Covid test result cost him his life. He was old, he was sick but he died because he couldn't get dialysis. I am so angry. My family is devastated. This is the 10th relative we've lost.
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CPR is given to a person:.a) who’s unconscious .b) lying down, not sitting upright. I understand the intention was to help but MY GOD this is all wrong. Do not be inspired by this, please learn properly how to give CPR!.
IAS officer, Yash Pal Garg posted at Chandigarh saved a human life by giving CPR as first aid. CPR is indeed very valuable life saving lesson we all must know. Salute to this IAS officer whose presence of mind save a life
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This photo is breaking my heart. Countless #HealthcareWorkers have spoken to me about dehydration, fainting & working long hours empty stomach. We are truly indebted to them all.
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"Aap jaanna chaahti hai main kya kar raha hu? Bas Ammi ki godd mein sarr rakh kar so raha hu," said student activist #AsifIqbalTanham. Spoke to #NatashaNarwal, #DevanganaKalita & Asif about the year in jail, & the last 48 hrs back home. #UAPA.
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