Kiran Bedi at Mind Rocks Chennai
Dr Kiran Bedi took the floor amidst much applause and cheering from the young audience. Almost immediately, the moderator Rahul Kanwal, executive editor, Headlines Today, launched into the session asking Bedi if Team Anna is ready for a compromise on the draft of the Lok Pal Bill.
Photo Credit : India Today Photo
Kanwal led into the question and answer session by raising a pertinent point about how CBI officials are unwilling to come under the Lokpal. "No investigation agency," said Bedi, "can be left unsupervised. And as for the integrity of the Lokpal itself, every citizen will have the right to protest against a corrupt member by presenting legitimate evidence to the Supreme Court. A committee can be appointed by the Supreme Court and on prima facie evidence is enough to remove the member."
When asked if the Lokpal movement would turn political, Bedi answered by saying that even though they are operating within the political arena, they do not have ambitions for Parliamentary seats. On the question of choosing between two equally corrupt political options, she encouraged the youth to collaborate a form a third option, and have the right to reject the existing ones.
Kiran Bedi went on to add that the Government had ensured that both the Lokpal officers and the CBI would lose their power, because as per the new draft, the CBI does not have an investigative agenda, only powers of enquiry. "The CBI is a reservoir of information on those who rule the country. It's a gold mine for the media. A new breaking headline everyday," she added, taking a good natured dig at Kanwal.
Bedi interacted with the audience to ask what they thought was missing in the Lokpal bill in its current form. After evaluating their answers, Bedi said that, "It is conflict of interest that stands in the way of an impartial bill. The CBI cannot act against the people who appoint them, and that's where conflict of interest happens."
Kiran Bedi insisted that a compromise would be like a consensual murder of the bill, and the audience showed their support by applauding her statement. The biggest lacunae, according to her, is leaving the Central Bureau of Investigation outside the purview of the Lokpal bill.
