Kaveeta Kaul
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Pratibha Patils election as the First Woman President of India might have sent a tinge of elation in the hearts and minds of citizens had Magsaysay award winner Kiran Bedi’s randomity of being superseded not have occurred the same day.
Vying for the top post of Commissioner in the country’s capital, Kiran Bedi made her displeasure known when her junior Y.S.Dadwal outraced her by measures other than merit and seniority. Kiran in her signature style, forthright, dispassionate, stoic almost yogic , elucidated on her deserving the Chief of Police distinction, while drawing attention as to how Dadwal was unfairly appointed.
Speaking to a news channel Kiran Bedi expressed jocularly that she was not caught totally off guard by the decision. In fact she would have been surprised had she been appointed. Not the first instance when her sincere, honest, unbiased, fair, approach to her work has led her to be the most unpopular cop among the others of her fraternity, paradoxically a hit with the masses, her juniors and the ‘junta’ at large. Being publicly acclaimed is hardly reason for promotion , so say our bureaucrats..They have less use of an honest woman cop who unflinchingly performs her duties , sometimes even if they involve hauling up her peers/seniors.
Purity and sincerity of intention is underrated, devalued and as much in disuse as the 25 paise coin.. no longer in circulation..fit to be treasured a century later as a numismatic but sorely inconsequential, today.
As if this was not enough, Kiran Bedi happens to be a woman..perhaps another hidden cause for this blatant flagration. Gender bias.. she opines:
This is the third of the series. The senior-most woman lost out as the Cabinet Secretary, and then we had Veena Sikri’s case lost out in the IFS,” she told NDTV.
Bedi was referring to Women and Child Development Secretary, Reva Nayyar’s case wherein she lost out on a chance to become the Cabinet Secretary despite being the senior-most IAS officer.
Empty rhetoric and its worthlessness that often embellishes speeches by politicians when averring on womens rights and status of women in India today, has been clearly exposed. We are supposed to be horrified, angry and disgruntled. Not just because it is a woman who has been deprived of her due! In fact while that may be one of the factors that has determined the arbitrary decision, it definitely is not the purpose of this post.
Here is an individual who has been an icon for the last 30 years of her career achieving the impossible, a trailblazer marching on fearlessly unwaveringly and setting an example of what quiet resoluteness, inner strength and determination can achieve. When such a person is demoted, (it amounts to that doesnt it) we as right minded citizens are supposed to rise up in indignation and voice our protest. Why should a wrong not be slammed? Why should we accept it as gospel? Why should answers not be sought?
Whilst her personality and list of achievements has been the source of umpteen morale boosting perk ups to aspiring women , her name as if generic with ‘confidence’ all over the country and beyond,, nevertheless, this event will most certainly dampen spirits , put women on the defensive, somewhere resigned to the undesirable phenomenon of gender bias. It is sad that what constitutes ‘merit’ for most, alters conspicuously for her seniors whose perspective on the matter seems radically tangential. her life has been a story of struggle, not the least to do with her gender.
“Policing has the ‘power to correct’ the ‘power to do’ and the ‘power to get things done’…Kiran Bedi
Perhaps a read through of her achievements is a must to enable better understanding at the outrage most Indians feel today.
In polls conducted by the “The Week”( 2002) Kiran Bedi was voted as the most admired woman in the country, 5th most admired Indian and one of the 15 Indian Icons of 2006.
The Home Ministry officials are expectedly immune to the uproar. What is so telling about the set notions fostered in minds of these officials is this rather anachronistic statement by one of the brigade, while acridly commenting on her objections” Behaviour like this is exactly one of the reasons why she never made it to the post … She could never work within the system and improve it,” an official said.
True..so true.. My good sir.. She could never work within the system now could she! Especially when the ‘system’ expects that top officers maintain a profile that has as its component an ‘adjustment’ gratis, when required and turning a Nelsons eye as well.
If it will help prove anything, let me inform you of this snippet. Mr. Dadwal, the recently instated Commissioner, as one of the channels inform us, was present in the party when Jessica Lall was murdered. Let me also remind you it was a pub owned by Bina Ramani. Kiran Bedi had the gumption in her tenure not to attend these systemic social dos, hobnob with the ‘system’ off hours.. I guess this is what the official was referring to when he declared that ‘she could never work within the system’.
If anything her reforms in the Tihar jail which etched out a blueprint for inmates to be treated as humans even though prisoners had won her many an award and distinction. In her absence recently, 600 approx prisoners died inside the precincts of the jail due to lack of proper infrastructure. Her reforms in the system to do with junior level police officials was ready to be executed had she gained entry to this office. However, its more about creating an environment comfortable for the powers who be , greasing machinery that facilitates ‘claptrap’ speeches on ‘India Posited’ than it is for taking India forward practically. If this does not prove it nothing will.
We have a long way to go before we can even begin hoping that transparency in matters that pertain to judiciary, police and such like important portfolios will be above board and conditions meliorate for its adherence.Till such time, all we can and should do is leave no opportunity to express disgust , put up a resistance, for whatever it is worth. Atleast we are not committing the cardinal sin of apathy, lassitude and impassiveness over an alleged misdeed.
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Sachiniti 
Good to see u back..in form 🙂
Actually its disgusting.. but I doubt they r going to change their mind..she should go to court and win!!!
Comment by Neha — July 27, 2007 @ 2:40 pm |
Super Cop Kiran Bedi Superseded
despite seniority and merit Kiran bedi superseded by junior for Chief of Police
Trackback by ekjut.com — July 27, 2007 @ 2:54 pm |
She rubbed too many bosses the wrong way..
Her fearlessness and integrity came in the way of their lethargy.
She is planning to go to court and if she can prove her stand it will be a fight worth watching out for.
Comment by dilip — July 27, 2007 @ 4:02 pm |
‘Purity and sincerity of intention is underrated, devalued and as much in disuse as the 25 paise coin.. no longer in circulation..’..well said!!
Comment by Krishnan — July 27, 2007 @ 9:03 pm |
Its a shame absolutely a shame! Why am I not surprised though? Its after all people who man a department… and the average Indian is a dishonest human being today. All he is concerned with is ‘success at any cost’ while integrity does not feature anywhere in the top priorities.
Comment by sandeep batra — July 28, 2007 @ 4:53 pm |
Hi Kaveetaa,
Firstly , i hope u r mom is doing fine.Yes, Kiran Bedi has been an inspiration to lot of ” wo’men'” .Women don’t really need reservation , we need equal opportunities and respect along with men in all fields.I think she deserves the Delhi CP post , not that she is a woman but she deserves it on all grounds.Her achievements are commendable , we as a nation must be really proud having her.Lastly , what about having a woman Vice President?
Comment by Laxmi — July 30, 2007 @ 8:28 am |
its correct. u said it right/
Comment by kumarviz — July 31, 2007 @ 1:14 pm |
Kavee,
Haven’t seen any of your creations after the 28th of July ! I hope, all is well !! How’s your loving Mom ? We pray for her recovery !
anil sharma bhilai.
Comment by anil sharma — August 6, 2007 @ 10:47 am |
Anil ji.
What I dreaded most has occurred. My mother after an illness of a mere 11 days passed away on July 29th in South Africa. I was there for the last rites and have only just returned.
Comment by kaveetaakaul — August 14, 2007 @ 1:11 pm |
Kavee,
May be, because mind travels faster than we humans, this most dreaded thought might have crossed your mind too, while it was taking shape !
Mine, and of we all other admirers of your creativity, heart-felt condolences ! May her soul rest in peace !!
Your description of her life has been one of the most beautiful writings you have created. Please do write more on the same subject. It would not only be a permanent record of the personal history, but would certainly also serve as a ventilation to your emotions.
Please take very good care !
sincerely,
anil sharma.
Comment by anil sharma — August 14, 2007 @ 2:23 pm |
Hi Kaveetaa, please add your blog to our new directory of Indian Blogs and pick up an Indian Independence badge, thanks!
http://www.indiblogger.in
Comment by indiblogger — August 18, 2007 @ 8:40 pm |
@ Sandeep..well said !
Hi laxmi.. sorry for not responding earlier. As you can imagine my mind was in a maze. Yes you are right. we dont need reservation but equal opportunities and as a corollary equal treatment at the workplace which criminalises bias and harassment . Only then can women perform at their optimum.
Anil ji..Thanks so much for your thoughtful words. Much as I would like to , yet cannot bring myself to writing about my mother as yet. I guess I will first have to achieve some distance from the happenings and then re visit when I am healed. Am doing my best to live by how she might have wanted me to.
Regards
Comment by kaveetaakaul — August 19, 2007 @ 12:05 pm |
If u have smethin called self-respect thn forget abt it…wht helps is! how well u leak one’s ass. i might sound crude but m sorry! Reality. but a point here i want to make Mrs.Bedi shud be rewarded fr her wrk nt fr womenhood.We dnt wnt tht do we? I wrkin today fr past a month can well understand hw it is n wud hav been…
Comment by Mitali — August 20, 2007 @ 11:50 am |
good article i appreciate the same.
Comment by ishwar chander — March 21, 2008 @ 1:48 pm |
Our country has a very brittle Police force that is held tight to some extent by honest & dedicted cops like Kiran Bedi. When a cop does well he/she always faces something like this.
Politics plays a major part to corner these type of IAS/IPS officers.
Comment by varun s. s — May 22, 2008 @ 9:39 am |
i like your programs.
you are looking so respect able woman
best of luck & best wishes & haapy new year
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Comment by Umer M. Khokhar — January 1, 2010 @ 1:20 am |
best wishes best of luck & happy new year
umer from isb 03009139123
Comment by Umer M. Khokhar — January 1, 2010 @ 1:21 am |