New Delhi, Sept 3 (IBNS) Former IPS officer and social activist Kiran Bedi on Monday said the focus of anti-corruption crusaders should be to bring a strong Jan Lokpal Bill and not to fight elections.
Her remarks came on a day when her fellow activist Arvind Kejriwal launched a protest movement before the Parliament Street police station on Monday against what they alleged harassment of India Against Corruption (IAC) members by the cops since their Aug 26 stir.
"I believe v need to invest more into movement yet,negotiate terms of people's support with key player/s to secure key reforms!the basis of the entire movement was to remain non political! And focus on getting the janlokpal bill and not fight elections!" Bedi tweeted.
"The basis of the entire movement was to remain non political! And focus on getting the janlokpal bill and not fight elections!" she said.
Bedi said she will remain apolitical like Gandhian Anna Hazare and fight for the 'issues' and 'causes' of the country.
"Sections of MEDIA asking me again if I am part of agitation today. My Ans is 'NO'. Am A-Political-and WILL STAY with MOVEMENT/Causes/Issues," she posted on Twitter.
"There is a presence of many A-Political Independent voices who remain focussed on Issues/Causes. I happen to be one of them! Pray for Grace!" she said.
"Anna creates his own vision. And has his own clarity. One must be under no illusion," she said.
Bedi brushed off reports of her joining any political party.
"I am not joining any political party. Any such info is rumoured by those who want this to happen!" she said.
"Let's first defeat that party which has corrupted the whole system and deal with lesser ones then. It will easier to do!" Bedi tweeted.
Kejriwal and his key associates in the anti-corruption crusade courted arrest on Monday at the Parliament Street Police Station after leading a protest against harassment of their members by cops, only to be let off later in the afternoon.
Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan, Manish Sisodia and Kumar Vishwas courted arrest at around 11-15 am.
They were released from the police station at around 3 pm.
IAC members said police are harassing them in the name of collecting evidence since Aug 26.
On Aug 26 during their march towards the residence of the Prime Minister, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and BJP president Nitin Gadkari, police teargassed and used batons and water cannons to stop them.
The protesters were taking out marches towards the residences of the top leaders in high security zones when the police cracked down on them as they tried to break the barricades and proceed.
Kejriwal and his supporters were detained twice during the day on Aug 26 when they tried to go ahead with their planned protest outside the residences of the PM and others without police permission.
Kejriwal and his supporters were also bundled into a DTC bus and and taken to a police station.
Later they were released.
IAC has of late targetted the Congress party and the Prime Minister over the coal block allocation scam.
The coal report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has pointed finger at the loss-making coal block allocations when the portfolio was held by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The report said 25 private companies received benefits of around Rs 1.86 lakh crore through of coal block allocations in various states.