In conversation with Dr Kiran Bedi
Kiran Bedi, a retired IPS officer and social activist talks about prison reforms, police reforms, her opinion on physical abuse of women and most of all her latest television show, Aap ki kachehri, that has won heavy TRP ratings in India.
IF I was to talk about the best moment of my life, it was interviewing Dr Kiran Bedi, India's first and highest ranking women police officer. A dynamic social activist, she is also the founder of two NGOs in India; Navjyoti for welfare and preventive policing and India Vision Foundation for prison reforms, drug abuse prevention and child welfare. I spoke to her about prison reforms, police reforms, her opinion on physical abuse of women and most of all her latest television show, Aap ki kachehri that has won heavy TRP ratings in India.
Spriha: From your perspective, tell me about the day care project that is being run by your organisation at Tihar prison?
Kiran:Well if you don't have it doesn't exist. Because we value a child's time and that's how this project began because we may stop growing as adults but the child grows very rapidly. A child needs health, nutrition, environment, education, care, love, nursing; so that's what I did.
When I went to the prison, there was nothing for the child separately so the child was almost an adult, living an adult life with their mothers. And the only thing they had to play with was those insects and cats moving around. And the only journey that the child would have was to go out to the courts and learn the language of the lawyers and the courts and the sections of law, the language of cruelty and violence which was going out between the accused and the perpetrator or the victim.
So that is the time when we started within our system, a separate place in the women's ward which had about forty-fifty children. We started a temporary arrangement and begged and borrowed for starting a play way. So with the play way, we told the mothers that they won't be allowed to take the children to the courts because the child has to get away from the super adult violent language. So that's the beginning. We put them in uniform and for the first time we brought in the concept of a child's life inside an adult women prison.
S: In context of the Indian Police System, what reforms do you think are required by the system?
K: Oh, It has plenty to do. It needs to be upside down. Upside down means a million plus. Constabulary needs to be fully attended to. That's the main base and foundation of the Indian Police. So the IPS is just about 3000-4000 in a one and a half million people. So on one side you have the leadership of senior cops called the Top Cops but the million and a half base needs to be really worked on. Where to begin?
S: Can a common man help in anyway?
K: To become law abiding. Because if he/she is law abiding then that much less pressure on the creaking police force.
S: What about the women police officers? Have they made their place in the police force?
K: Well they made their presence but no impact yet. They have not been given position to assert. They have actually been denied positions to assert, they have been kept away. So that they don't make a difference or leave a footprint. The society wants it but the male leadership must want a different footprint. There is a very long way to go.
S: But what is your message to those thousands of women who are suppressed and physically abused every day in their homes but are scared to raise their voice?
K: They have to be aware of what they want. They want to continue to be harassed or abused or beaten or victims of harassment. It'0s their choice. The law is on their side now. The domestic violence act is on their side. If they read the domestic violence act and stop the violence from day one, it will go a long way in better quality of life. If they can spend hours watching television shows and movies, can't they spend twenty minutes reading the law and then applying the law when needed. There is free legal aid provision in India.
S: You are back with your latest television show, 'Aap ki kachehri'. Tell us more about it?
K: Aap ki Kachehri is envisioned to be a movement of social justice, neighbourhood justice. There is nothing between the victim and police and the Police is inadequate in response many times. Or there is nothing between the victim and the overcrowded court. We need something to come in between them - social justice courts. Aap Ki Kachehri is nothing but a social justice court comprising of educated citizens who know the law and who have the character of credibility and justice.
S: Finally, you have been doing a lot of work. Even after retirement your enthusiasm for work for public service hasn?t gone down. What keeps you going?
K: I believe in doing. And I do as long as I want to do. I believe in contributing and using all the skills or energy that I have to a larger good. That's what my policing stood for always. And now from policing to community service and public life, which is neutral, not political, not based on any one faith. Its humanity is a whole; its cause is a whole. I think it's a great sense of gratitude for what I have that keeps me going. What I have is to give.
.Ma'am my question is not about 'aap ki kachehri' or something like that it's just you are my role model & not only me of many but how can I improve myself to see me in place of you?
.Ma'am, I am 14 yrs old student studying in 9th standered & have a great desire to achieve my goal. You have been my inspiration from the past 3 years. thankyou for being the most classic person in the world for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am ANKITA SHARMA of C.R.P.F. Public School, Rohini, Delhi
.Ma'am, I am 14 yrs old student studying in 9th standered & have a great desire to achieve my goal. You have been my inspiration from the past 3 years. thankyou for being the most classic person in the world for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am ANKITA SHARMA of C.R.P.F. Public School, Rohini, Delhi
.Ma'am, I am 14 yrs old student studying in 9th standered & have a great desire to achieve my goal. You have been my inspiration from the past 3 years. thankyou for being the most classic person in the world for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am ANKITA SHARMA of C.R.P.F. Public School, Rohini, Delhi
.Ma'am, I am 14 yrs old student studying in 9th standered & have a great desire to achieve my goal. You have been my inspiration from the past 3 years. thankyou for being the most classic person in the world for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am ANKITA SHARMA of C.R.P.F. Public School, Rohini, Delhi
.Ma'am, I am 14 yrs old student studying in 9th standered & have a great desire to achieve my goal. You have been my inspiration from the past 3 years. thankyou for being the most classic person in the world for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am ANKITA SHARMA of C.R.P.F. Public School, Rohini, Delhi
.dear mam,
i am 27 years old and married 2 yrs back in 2008 and now very much in problem relating to my married life . As i gaive birth to a baby girl my husband use to tortured me a lot and since than i am living with my mother at meerut. He daily use to call me on my mobile and say absusive words to me and tread me that he will kill me in near future. He ia a fake advocate and got all degrees faked and he is very clalver in making fake documents like income certificates and all. We both belong to meerut in UP and he do not even works also to earn bread but i use to work for me and my baby plz. tell me what to do now?
.please send me the email id of dr kiran bedi please its very very urgent & also tell me how i contact with dr kiran bedi
This comment has been removed by the moderator
This comment has been removed by the moderator
.hi, how can i contact with Dr. Kiran Bedi please reply its urgent matter for me plz. i need suggestion from her
.hello, can i have Dr. Kiran Bedi's email ID, its urgent matter i want to discuss something, plz its urgent for me
This comment has been removed by the moderator
no need of that, you are not the only one who wants to contact ma'am , its better not to write.........
no need of that, you are not the only one who wants to contact ma'am , its better not to write.........
.Hi.I want to get a help from kiran bedi about an information.How could i contact her?What is her mail id?Will it be secret?
.Hi.I want to join a NGO which is working against physical abuse of women.So may i have Ms. Kiran Bedi's email id to have her guidance on the above mentioned topic.Thanks.
.Hi, Can we write to MS. KIRAN BEDI for any kind of help? will it be a secret? What is her email id?
Regards
Jaya
.I am a fan of Mrs. Kiran Bedi from my college time as she gave a me NCC certificate from her own hand while I was doing my college in Goa 1984. Today I am working in a privte firm from last 24 yrs but justice to my work is not appreciated from my employer , I want your assistance and guidance as how to approach employer for justice towards my work and proper placement in company I work for if you will know my work profile and the treatment given to me I sometime feel where the justice for woman is gone.
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