Manifesto tussle in BJP

In her personal manifesto “Kiransblueprint”, Bedi spelt out how crime against women can be checked if the whole city is held accountable for women’s security, special emphasis is laid on martial arts in college curriculum and pepper spray given to women, among other ideas. Bedi also advocated that all private SOS apps on mobile phones be linked to Delhi Police.

Kiransblueprint trended on Twitter but BJP MP from New Delhi, Meenakshi Lekhi, was not much in the know or impressed. She was not sure if Bedi’s points exist in the party manifesto. “Not every point in the manifesto gets implemented and not every point which gets implemented has to be in the manifesto,” Lekhi said.

Asked whether she is saying the manifesto is irrelevant, she said she is not in the party to speak about manifesto but to give her views on women safety.

Asked whether her views are different from Bedi’s on women’s safety, Lekhi said, “I hope that as Bedi’s views will be accommodated by the party, mine will too.”

Bedi’s vision for women safety has three steps: preventive measures, corrective actions and regular reviews.

Preventive measures include patrolling in vulnerable areas, community policing, strengthening police presence in entertainment hubs, stringent driver verification, home guards and civil defence escorts on buses on vulnerable routes, college curriculum with a special emphasis on martial arts, value education and pepper spray and whistles for women.

She also proposes punishment for crimes against women be widely publicised, so that it serves as a deterrent. Among corrective actions will be prompt registration of FIRs, a round-the-clock special call and response centres, and a special security force for women.
Third, regular reviews will include jan sabhas with people to monitor progress, monthly joint meetings with chief ministers and radio addresses to communicate progress and action taken.

Harsh Vardhan, who has been the convenor of the election committee, had earlier informed the party that he had finalised the manifesto and it had been sent to Bedi for perusal or additions. But Bedi’s blueprint for the city has left the senior leadership surprised.
“It is through media that we come to know what our party is planning. We are just told to work without being informed,” a senior BJP leader said.