She gave me freedom to move around in Tihar

Chapter 8

It is a familiar phenomenon that in the evening of one's life, those memories come alive that gave you more pleasure than pain. While writing my autobiographical novel, I started thinking about one person who figured in my life at different phases and left an indelible mark. Her name is Kiran Bedi, the femme fatal of Indian public life. I met her in first in 1970s when she was making waves as the first lady IPS ( Indian Police Service Officer). Many would remember that she had hit headlines on the sports pages of the national dailies as the lawn tennis star along with her sister Anu Peshoria.She had no ancestral dynasty to flaunt and no political or corporate strings attached. I still have that picture when I interviewed her first.

She has the image of a no-nonsense police officer trying a create a rightful place in the male dominated uniformed bureaucracy. She became a center of controversy when she tried to remove the unlawful encroachment of the Tees Hazari district court lawyers. The hell broke loose at her audacity. But she stuck to her guns. The lawyers who continue to make news, as they did today at Patiala House course for beating the students, haven't forgotten Bedi. But she couldn't care less.

 Soon after that she was given the charge of managing the unruly of Delhi's traffic. She took out cranes and started removing the unruly parked vehicles. She got a new title Crane Bedi. The Janpath pavement shopkeepers are still in her awe for the dare devilry they witnessed.

Her next stop-over was Tihar Jail where she was posted as the IG prisons. When she landed there she found as a citadel of fear and terror. Her first announcement was that her brief was not to punish the inmates. They had been sentenced by courts of law. She took the charge of reforming them along with the jail atmosphere. It was a culture shock. Nobody had that perception of Tiha. I was a young journalist in Swatantra Bharat of the Pioneer Group. I called her to visit Tihar. She readily obliged. I told her that I have come to give the real picture of this dreaded place. I threw an innocuous question. Could I stay here for a couple of days?. She said, not overnight but it is all mine in the day time. I could go anywhere ever, meet anybody, eat the food served to the prisoners, attend their activities.

I hgad read in the newspapers that the notorious but celebrated criminal Charles Shobhraj was also lodged there. I specially asked Kiran, if I could meet and interview. She smiled. Then added, all lady journaluists who went to meet him, were hit by his charm. You are a man, but beware, He is a glib talker and wins your confidence easily. Even I am conscious while talking to me. He is logical and convincing.

I spent the next three days in Tihar. The first spt that caught my fancy was three Sikhs reciting Guru Granth Sahab. I got curious and approached them. IWhat's happening here. They told me in chaste Punjabi that one of the son had killed his newly wedded aftera tiff and the police arrested the father and the two sons. They were regretful and were serving the term with the help of their holy book. Even the other prioserners were free to attend these sessions. It was the first eye-opened of Kiram's handling. Let the inmates do what was understandable and non-disturbing.

The next destination was more shocking. One eye-surgeon Dr Jain of Delhi had killed his wife Dr Vidya Jain because he wanted to marry his newly found-extra-marital consort. He had confessed and was there along with his lady love. When I met him he was coaching inmates how to use computer. Kiran had provided them computer terminals. I attended the class for a while, it was a serious business.

I was getting restless to meet Charles. He had half-Indian blood. He had come to know about my visit and was waiting for me in a way. It didn't take long to break ice with him. I asked him, what were his plans now. He said, Kiran was convinced that I would play truant. Are you confident,, I asked. He just smiled. Later I met him in a court when he had been taken there as an accused. I said, how come, he was still in custody. He said, wait. And he did make an attempt to run away.

At one point, I saw a newspaper and magazine stall. Kiran had allowed a prisoner to set up this sales counter with the money he was earning by working in the jail. She used to give any manual or mental activity, one was capable of. He was pai8d for it and that money was deposited in his account to be released at the time of his release. It was an interesting experiment.

Such experiments caught the fancy of the whole world. She got a Megasaysay award for jail reforms in India. Many cynics were critical of Kiran and the kind of freedom she was grante3d. People said, the jail had become a joke. Kiran didn't agree. Her argument was that everybody has a right to reform and change. But there were not many takers.

As it happens, her tenure at Tihar came to an end. She returned to her mundane life leaving many relieved of her departure but a larger section felt sad. None was given that opportunity. Tihar returned to its mundane image.I wrote a full-page write up in Swatantra Bharat which was, one of my quotable pieces.

Liran was moving up the ladder. There came an opportunity when Kiran was senior enough to be considered for the top job, the commissioner of Delhi police. Never bepre or after a lade has been placed in that hot seat. A fellow Sikh leader Manmphan Singh was the prime minister. But she was denied her well earned opportunity. The Home ministry was vertically divided over her handling. Her opponents argued that she would create controversies. Would take debatable decisions. Fellow male colleagues will feel slighted. She was not appointed.

Meanwhile, our bonhomies continued. I invited her to many seminars on media and society under the aegis of Jagannath Institute of Management Sciences, Vasant Kunj and also at IIC. She always obliged. We had developed a cordial relationship. A kind of mutual admiration camaraderie. Once we met at IIC and I hugged her out of affection, perhaps alone second more than the protocol. I felt, she was not comfortable. She is always more than correct.

Once she came as a guest of honour at Press Enclave housing complex where I lived for more than 30 years onn15th August flag hoisting. Obviously, I was not alone among her admirers. I was told Kiran was speaking from the dais. I came in my casuals. The moment she noticed, she shouted, here comes my friend Om Gupta. Many looked back at me in envy. I was embarrassed but waved my hand.

She is a prolific writer. Her best known title is I Dare. Her first person account of her life. She is a private person. Maintains dignity but not the upper stiff lips variety.

Last but not the least. Her decision to be a BJP candidate for Delhi chief minister ship in 2014 elections. She was never a politician. BJP relied heavily on her image. But she misunderstood the Modi wave and in her calculations, it was a cake walk. But Arvind Kejariwal proved to be a more shrewd. They had been colleagues. No hard feelings. But it was politics. Bedi got a shocking result at her hand. BJP used her in a ruthless manner. If she was worth for CM's chair, she deserved a place in the national scheme of things. But then politics is the last game of scoundrals and she is not one of them.Since then she has returned to her NGO. I wish her all the best.