Raj Gupta (Opening statements)

Client: Good afternoon everyone. I’m Raj Gupta and firstly, I am grateful for everyone present here
since they took time out of their busy schedules to be a part of this session. I’d especially like to
acknowledge Jaya’s presence here as I’m thankful she agreed to this.

Jaya, you know that for the longest time I have been trying to reach you because I wanted you and
vishakha to come back to me. I am a changed man, as now I know that the past few years were hard
on both of you. I can understand that you may not feel the same about me, but all I want is to be a
father to my child. In these past few years, I lost my family, reputation, money and most importantly
my daughter, but now I am willing to earn my way back to everything. I know I wasn’t there for you
as alcohol had a grip on me, but ever since I have been sober I have realised that I wasn’t really in
control. At my lowest phase of life, my friends and family advised and supported me to go for
therapy as you weren’t there, but in reality, if I am being true to myself all I ever wanted was to be
with my daughter, it was the reason why I went through that process.

You would have thought why I didn’t call you back and why I’m now choosing to reach out to both of
you. I knew that I wasn’t myself at that point in time, and for the betterment of Vishakha I kept my
distance from both of you. If you aren’t aware of this, I was suffering from depression as everything
in my life was falling apart, but since 2020 all I have tried is to be better and have a positive outlook
towards life. In 2021, Mohan Pandey offered me a role which resembled my very own life story, and
it gave me the inspiration to improve my living status.

Everyone thinks that I went into depression because I was failing in my career, but honestly since
you and vishakha left me, all the trauma from the loss of mridula back in 2011 came rushing back to
me. When I married you, I knew you would be a great mother to my daughter, and you have been
there for her ever since, for which I’m eternally grateful to you. But now, I want an active part in my
daughter's life, as I can prove my capability in terms of providing for and nurturing her with
everything I have.

I understand that you want to be a part of vishakha’s life as you were an active parent for her, but I
don’t understand your adamancy for getting a divorce and not letting me be a part of my own
daughter’s life.

Jaya (Opening Statement)

Client: A very Good Morning/Afternoon to everybody, I am Jaya Singh, and first of all, I feel humbled
to have been asked to this table of Negotiation. There is a lot that has been said and done, but today
we could hopefully talk about things that truly matter, and have a fruitful and productive session.
I believe over the years, we have had our share of ups and downs, in terms of both professional and
personal lives. But even on the darkest days, Vishakha was the light of my life. There's nothing I'm
more grateful for, or love, more than I love her. Thank you, for bringing her to my life. But that is
where my gratefulness ends with you, Raj.

When we got married, you used to be a different person altogether, ever-so-supportive, just really
good to me. Despite being at the peak of my career, I chose to quit my job for Vishakha, since she
needed one parent to be truly present in those formative years of hers.

I tried to give everything I had to this family, and even when you hit that bad phase in your career
back in 2018, and nothing gave you an excuse to shirk off your responsibility towards this family the
way you did. All the drinking, gambling…it changed you. I begged for you to seek professional help,
but you never listened. I was dismayed and horrified with your behaviour towards Vishakha and I. I
had to get Vishakha away from you because God knows what influence your situation would've had
on her I had not left with her when I did.

Literally 3 years later you asked for us to come back. Did you really think it was easy for your
daughter to be away from her father at that age? Did you think it was easy for me? I am sorry, but
there is no way I am letting my daughter stay with you, especially since you now have a history of
substance abuse. It is not safe for her. I can't be certain about the fact that you won't hit another
slump in your career and go back to your old habits. I can't take that kind of a risk with my daughter.

I want to Divorce you, with the condition that I retain full custody of Vishakha, and rightfully so, since
I am the only true parent she has ever known. I was there for her, protected her, through every step
of the way, and she deserves a parent that cares for her that way.