New Delhi:
BJP Chief Ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi today spoke to NDTV about who towed Indira Gandhi's car and more.
Here is the full transcript:NDTV: Are you being haunted by your history, are you being haunted by your past? People are bringing out old controversies and I will just list them out, and you can respond to them very briefly. Why did Kiran go on protest leave when she was not made Police Commissioner; why did she leave Mizoram without asking; did she misuse Mizoram Quota to get her daughter a seat in a medical college? Did she really tow Indira Gandhi's car or was it a sub inspector? Please answer.
Kiran Bedi: My one straight answer is please read the book. I dare, my publisher would be very happy. Every bit of this is answered since 1995, every bit.
NDTV: Did you tow Indira Gandhi's car or was it a sub inspector?
Kiran Bedi: Do I as a DCP tow myself? It's as DCP Traffic my policies were unsparing, and as policy if any officer does the right thing rightly he is fully supported. Was he transferred, was the officer transferred by me? Was he punished?
NDTV: You're saying you stood by the officer?
Kiran Bedi: That is my duty.
NDTV: But you said you were sent on a punishment posting, your critics say you were sent 7 months later to Goa, not immediately. So how it is a punishment posting?
Kiran Bedi: They didn't need me then. They needed me till the Asian Games was over and that's it and after that they transferred me, even when I told them my daughter needs medical care, she was a baby, 5-6 years old. I told them she needs a medical care and I was doing this 24x7 work as DCP Traffic. My mother was taking care of my daughter while I was on 24x7 work, so I told them now I need to be in Delhi because she was being treated by the All India Medical Sciences. They didn't hear me, that is how it became a punishment.
NDTV: But this accusation that you didn't complete your postings, you said to the Sunday Observer I think, in 1992, I left Mizoram without asking.
Kiran Bedi: No I didn't. I didn't leave without asking. I was on earned leave with the permission of my Inspector General. My IG Mr Rajender Mohan said because my daughter was being hospitalised. Please read, I dare again, she was hospitalised. Therefore, from the airport we went straight to the All India Medical Sciences because she was admitted there, and my mother said, Kiran, CHOGM is done. You have done Commonwealth Games. Your daughter is missing school. She needs to be hospitalised. I went to my Inspector General and I said, Sir, give me 20 days of earned leave. I have never taken leave all my life. Now my daughter needs me. He said go; formality of the Chief Minister's Secretariat will follow. That's a formality. IG has granted you. You are done.
NDTV: Did you go on protest leave because you did not become Police Commissioner, 3 months protest leave? That's what the media reports.
Kiran Bedi: Never. Kamal hai. Thank you very much for the media. One thing more I'm realising, when you read the media, please read between the lines. There is something before and something after, which sometimes you truly miss.
NDTV: So this criticism that your past, whether from Mizoram to Police Commissioner controversy to whether you actually towed Indira Gandhi's car, how do you deal with your past? It has now opened up for scrutiny.
Kiran Bedi: Do you expect a DCP to be towing away cars? It's my unit, which is to do the job. My job is to see whether my officers are there to do the duty and they are fully protected and they are rewarded. And they follow a policy of no discrimination.
I will tell you what media hasn't shared with you. I was in the public rally and I was talking to the auto drivers, and they were all young men. I had to tell them that I have been fair to you, I have been rewarding for you, caring for you. I have even been motherly with you, but I have also been an enforcer. You follow the rules, I'm with you; you don't follow the rules, you were warned, you were trained, because after all people need a service. I was telling two men came saying "Ma'am aap kya bta rahe hai,. hum btate hai. I wish the media had covered it. Media was present there. So the media didn't cover the two auto drivers who knew everything. "ma'am aapne humko ghar ke liye ijazat di.. kaha ki line mein aa jaoo..ma'am aapne humey yeh certificate diya.. hum btate hai. Media didn't cover. After the rally media asked me something what Kejriwal had said, they never covered this. Had they asked me ki Madam yeh aapka past present ban raha hai...kaise mehsoos kar rahe hai.. jab aapne yeh kaam kiya tha..aapko pta tha ki 30 saal aapne jo bhala kiya tha... aaj aapka kaam aayega.. kisi ne mujh se nahi poocha.. This is the problem where media is not giving you 360 degrees. It's giving you 30 degrees.
NDTV: We are giving you a chance and opportunity to answer all questions.
Kiran Bedi: My past is an asset.
NDTV: Your past is an asset.
Audience: Ma'am you have been accused of political opportunism. What do you have to say to that and also if the BJP is to lose the election, what role you see yourself playing in the party? And I request you to please not dodge the question
Kiran Bedi: No I will not.
NDTV: If you lose, if the BJP loses, will you still stay with them? What will be your role?
Kiran Bedi: I had been in public service. I will remain in public service. Now that I'm with the BJP, I will stay with the BJP as long as I'm in the alignment with them I will stay, I'm in public service and in alignment, I don't see a conflict.
And as far as being called an opportunist, that's the issue. If somebody is calling me opportunist I don't have to counter it by saying no, this is who you are by calling me, that's not my nature. I let that be. As Buddha said when you don't accept something, it remains with the person concerned
NDTV: Next question by Sneha Ganguly; as we get the mike, Kiran any regrets? You have said my past is my asset. Any regrets, any mistakes?
Kiran Bedi: No. I have only gratitude in my life for all that has made my past. I only know one word, gratitude. I have not a moment for regret.