Kiran Bedi suggests reforms in policing

KATHMANDU, Mar 10: Kiran Bedi, the highest ranking woman officer in Indian Police Service ever, on Tuesday said Nepal needed a police reform act and the Constituent Assembly should be the "voice for good policing."



Speaking at the 100th International Women´s Day event in Kathmandu Tuesday evening, Bedi said, "Security for non-violent ways must be a priority for Nepal." [break]



She was of the view that there can be no compromise in security, which she said is is the key to woman empowerment. Pointing at the rise of violence and insecurity among the Nepali women, she said, "Nepal must have a plan 2020 to empower women and to economically prosper."



She also recommended police commissioner system instead of the present Inspector General mode in Nepal. "Nepal must think of a commissioner system like in Delhi which will make a single authority accountable for police action and will stop overlapping of duties," Bedi said.



Directing her comment at the 33 percent women CA members, Bedi said, "Those 33 percent of women must be the best in South Asia." She added, "Nepal has led the way for India to adopt reservation for women." The Indian Rajya Sabha voted for 33 percent women reservation only on Tuesday.



She also recommended formation of a ´security commission´ which would make appointments, fix tenures and bring police system under a single law and keep police force free from political interferences. "If you do not put this together early, you will suffer for years," she said.




Bedi served in the IPS for 35 years and even commanded India´s Tihar jail where she introduced prison reforms as part of welfare policing.



Sharing her views on fighting human trafficking, Bedi put forth two suggestions: Internal cohesion and coordination between the government and civil society, and external coordination with India through Indian embassy.



"An internal plan for border management is a must. The authorities must also dwell into the reasons for women going to Indian brothels," she said. She said it has to be made known whether it is due to ´deception´, ´willingness´ or ´greed´ that Nepali women are taken to India. She stressed on the need of a cohesive plan against trafficking.



At the program, Defense Minister Bidya Devi Bhandari released Bedi´s autobiography "I Dare".



On women empowerment, Bedi said three factors shape a girls´ destiny - parents, opportunities and security. Bedi, who was born in Amritsar, said, "I am a product of my family and opportunity. Empowerment begins from home that a girl is born in, a mother who loves her and a father who thinks that a girl is as much an asset as a boy."



She said, "Opportunities have to be created. Government must set up opportunities and private sector can step in in the form of investment."



But she laid more emphasis on security, especially in Nepal´s context. "Any government that compromises on security, compromises on women´s empowerment," she affirmed.



She said strengths of a man lie upon three factors -- money, muscle and mobility. But women, she said, have the willpower to acquire all this in addition of being compassionate, humble and a healer.



Sating that any empowered women should have higher level of inner security, Bedi said, "A sense of inner security is a must."



Asked what security reforms can be introduced in Nepal, she said Nepal´s new security plan should include police reforms. And that Nepal Police should send a team to Tihar jail to study the reforms done there.



"It is all about managing the day in the jail. I tried education and yoga in the morning, then other discourses and meditation in the afternoon and some creative activities in the evening. The idea was that the three portions must be creative."



Talking about her popular TV serial "Aap Ki Kachehri," she said, "Delayed justice is a problem all over South Asia. But Aap ki Kachehri is an alternative dispute resolution model, which could be copied by the civil society."



Bedi is recipient of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award. Besides being a columnist, author and public speaker, she is founder of two NGOs Navjyoti and India Vision Foundation, which reach out to over 10,000 beneficiaries daily. She has been voted as India´s most admired women and fifth amongst all Indians.



akanshya@myrepublica.com

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