Shobha and Pooja

I generally surf through the TV channels while having dinner, yesterday while doing the same came across a very interesting program. Two pretty women having a debate over the treatment meted out to a underworld gangster!!! Shobha De and Pooja Bedi, both of them well known socialites and well known trendsetters in the fashion and glamour world in their respective eras. In fact there are certain similarities in the social conduct of Shobha and the late Protima Bedi-Pooja's mom.
So these two women came face to face on Pooja's show on a channel called Zoom and began discussing the hows and whys of Abu Salem's treatment in India and whether media was glamourising a criminal etc.For once I found myself agreeing to Shobha's thoughts .Having read a few of her novels-starry nights, socialite evenings,sultry days, each of them a biased sarcastic comment on Bombay Socialites, I have never considered her a "A" category writer. However for once I feel that she makes a strong point when she said that the media should not forget that the guy in question-Abu Salem is responsible for the death of thousands of people.Pooja tried to hold her fort for a long time trying to convince the other side that the right to freedom of expression cannot be denied to the media and basically the media are dishing out items that the public wanted. It was a nicely packaged , well directed interaction of two strong women who have led their lives independently and have despite the severe scrutiny of the media on their personal lives, have lived with dignity. A show where the host does not ask " So why did you stop being friends with Kareena Kapoor" , a show where an issue of national importance was discussed without any paraphernalia. Well Indian Television never ceases to surprise!!!!!