Saturday, January 24, 2015

Honest Kiran Bedi and Dishonest Media

Will People Speak the whole Truth and 
Only Truth about Kiran Bedi ?


Lot of politics is being played by many today to prove Kiran Bedi does not have impressive past Records.

Most of the stories are written, forwarded and sponsored by some paid journalists, paid authors, writers and media houses who do not tell you full truth but only half truth with the political Twist to the story to mislead you. In this case, it is Kiran Bedi who is their target and the group is telling lies, distorting stories about Kiran Bedi to prove, she is not the right choice for CM of Delhi because of her tainted past.

This sort of political assassination we have witnessed before.

 
I remember even today, the same group working against Narendra Modi  desperately was trying to prove, Narendra Modi is communal, divisive, fascist  leader and has a tainted past ? They are still saying that with all their dishonesty.

Corrupt crafty Congress and its alliance partners with their corrupt media friends, few dishonest journalists who do not follow any journalistic and professional ethics are desperately trying to regain lost ground in the public space. 


And Kiran Bedi, from the time declared as CM candidate for Delhi is facing these News traders who are spreading disinformation to mislead people of Delhi.

I see suddenly lot many articles written by many in the social media to tarnish the image of Kiran Bedi. You can see their desperation and frustrations. Aam Admi party is naturally leading the disinformation campaign because they are caught unaware by Kiran Bedi´s sudden appearance in Delhi politics.

Facts are not presented in its true dimensions to people. 


Because for the corrupt politicians, corrupt media, News in its true form that reports the truth is no good in self serving politics. In this corrupt political system Kiran Bedi is becoming a victim like many honest people who dare to enter into politics. When the sharks in politics feel threatened.

How news stories can be given a spin to target someone unfairly.


Kiran Bedi´s stories appearing in the news are a classic example. An upright work attitude to follow the rule Book, strictly adherence in applying the law to all without discrimination or inequality today is being used against her to show her in bad light. The classic twist in news about her past. 

The honest and well honored person by many national and international institutes is seen humiliated and insulted for her honesty and professional integrity.
 
For example... it is said that she Challenged Indira Gandi  for towing Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s car for a parking violation. When did she challenge Indira Gandhi?  She never challenged Indira Gandhi  That is a classic twist to the news story. And She was not called " Crane Bedi for towing Indira Gandhi´s car, that again is not true.

What happened then really ??

She clamped down on errant motorists with a heavy hand. She replaced challans with spot fines. Her team towed improperly parked vehicles using six tow trucks ("cranes") for traffic control. This earned the nickname "Crane Bedi". On 5 August 1982, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's Ambassador car (DHI 1817) was towed away by sub-inspector Nirmal Singh, as it was wrongly parked outside the Yusufzai Market at Connaught Place.

Sub-Inspector Singh was fully supported by Bedi and her superior Ashok Tandon.  She never claimed that she "Challenged " then PM Indira Gandhi. But if the media decides to give a twist to news to make the news more sensational, what can you do? That is the way our media or the political class make stories..

Even after 10 to 12 years of investigation, grilling by special investigation team when Supreme court of India gave clear, unambiguous verdict saying there is not a shred of evidence against Narendra Modi´s direct or indirect involvement  in 2002 Gujarat Riots, all his opponents are still saying whatever the court verdict... He is a killer, murderer, communal and a fascist ? 


So those who do not believe in our justice system including EX PM Dr Manmohan Singh, ... is it the real truth?  Or is this all politically motivated mischief ? 

Or is this country a "Banana Republic?

If we all remember... when Ashok Khemka, an honest upright IAS officer from Haryana administration followed the rule book to question Robert Vadra´s suspicious  Land deals, he became a victim of the corrupt political system and was thrown out, transfered, humiliated. Was that Ashok Khemka´s fault for doing his job honestly?  Durga Shakti Nagpal, another honest lady IAS officer from UP was suspended for doing her job honestly without fear and favor and Azam Khan administration rewarded her with suspension order?. 


So was Durga Shakti Nagpal at fault or the corrupt politicians?
 
Bedi did not spare errant motorists from the rich and influential section of the society. Her victims included the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation and her own sister-in-law. The impartial crackdown resulted in a powerful lobby against her, and she was transferred to Goa for 3 years. Her 7-year old daughter suffered from nephritic syndrome since the age of 3, and was seriously ill at the time. Bedi requested the Home Ministry not to transfer her out of Delhi until her daughter's condition became stable. According to Bedi, she had put herself in a "very vulnerable situation", and the only people who could help her were the ones "who had been offended by my 'equal enforcement of law'". Her request was not entertained, and she had to leave behind her daughter, who was too ill to accompany her.

Another story with the Spin about her daughter´s admission ... again it is given a political twist.

In September 1992, her daughter Sukriti applied for a seat in Lady Harding Medical College (Delhi), under a quota for Mizoram residents. Students of Mizoram launched a violent agitation against the allocation, on the grounds that she was a non-Mizo. Sukriti had topped the merit list with 89% marks, and was given seat from the Central pool, according to the government guidelines. Mizoram's Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla asked her to surrender the seat in "the larger interests of the state", although he accepted that "there was nothing illegal in her daughter getting the seat"

Lawyers' strike: Again a political twist to this news story

 
In January 1988, the Delhi Police caught a man stealing from a girl's purse at St. Stephen's College. A few weeks later, he was arrested again for trespassing into a women's toilet and writing obscene graffiti inside. One of Bedi's officers arrested and handcuffed the man. When he was produced in the court, he was recognized as Rajesh Agnihotri, a lawyer practicing at the Tis Hazari Courts Complex. The man had given a different name when he was arrested, and his lawyer colleagues claimed that he had been falsely framed. The protesters also argued that lawyers must not be handcuffed even if there are proper grounds for their arrest. Bedi vociferously defended her officer's action. The lawyers organized a strike and led a procession to DCP (North) office. Not finding DCP Bedi at the office, the lawyers manhandled Additional DCP Sandhu. This led to a scuffle between the cops and the lawyers. The lawyers escalated their strike, and several politicians supported the lawyers in demanding suspension of Bedi. 


Again an honest officer becomes a victim of politics.

The members of the Delhi Bar Association were not satisfied with Bedi's transfer, and wanted her suspended. However, the Police Commissioner Ved Marwah refused to suspend Bedi.


Shortly after the CHOGM ended, her daughter's medical condition worsened. Bedi applied for leave, so that she could go to Delhi and take care of her daughter. Until this point, she had not taken privilege leave in her decade-long career, and her leaves had always lapsed. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rajendra Mohan recommended her leave application, but the leave was not officially sanctioned by the Goa government. Bedi left for Delhi anyway, since she had enough leaves in her account. Her daughter was hospitalized at AIIMS for one week. After her daughter was released from hospital, Bedi decided to stay in Delhi until her recovery. Bedi sent a personal letter to the IGP, as well as a detailed explanation to the Goa government, with medical reports and certificates. However, in a statement to United News of India (UNI), the Goa Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane declared her absconding and absent without leave. 


After seeing Bedi's daughter's condition in Delhi, UNI published a rebuttal to the Chief Minister's statement. This made Goa government even more hostile to Bedi.
 
In 1994, Bedi was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award and the Nehru Fellowship. The US President Bill Clinton invited her to National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C.. When the Delhi Government refused to let her accept the invitation, Bedi lobbied with the Union Home Ministry to get the clearance. However, the Home Minister S.B. Chavan declined the permission. Clinton repeated the invitation in 1995, and this time, Bedi approached the media. 


The New York Times published a report stating that "several politicians and her superiors were feeling cut up with her assertive style and the success that followed her". Under pressure from the public and the media, Chavan allowed Bedi to attend the Breakfast. However, this episode won her several detractors in the government.

Journalists like Karan Thapar and Pankaj Vohra criticized her for crying bias, and stated that her service record was tainted with controversies like incomplete Goa, Mizoram and Chandigarh assignments; the lawyers' strike controversy; and the removal from Tihar.


But will somebody speak the truth and only truth?   


For heavens sake, stop playing gutter politics with good honest people in public life.


Don't demotivate or frustrate them. Or else good people will not enter into politics and when good people don't... the space is taken over by criminals, corrupt and dishonest people we have seen in the last 67 years.

So enough of your gutter politics.

Ajay Angre
Author, Writer, Publisher