Kiran Bedi calls meeting on Mon, to return to her NGO

Kiran Bedi, the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate in the just concluded polls, is returning to work with her NGO.

After a busy phase during the Assembly polls, the former cop has called a meeting of her NGO team on Monday, said an NGO official.

“The Navjoyti staff members’ meeting is scheduled for Monday, as Kiran ji will be back with us after her unfortunate defeat in the Assembly election”, said Nitu Sharma Joshi, executive director of the Navjyoti India Foundation.

“She has asked the entire Navjyoti staff to be present in the meeting. From the next week, she will be devoting more time to the NGO,” said Joshi.

Joshi, a close aide of the former Indian Police Service officer, added: “All the staff members have been told to focus on school dropouts under the child leadership programme in rural areas and slums.”

“Many of the priorities that Bedi outlined for children during her campaign have been included in the motto of our NGO,” said a staff member.

“Even the issues of women’s security and cleanliness, which she stressed during her campaign have been our NGO’s focus areas,” said another staff member.

Navjyoti foundation was started by Bedi in 1988 when she was serving in Delhi Police. The aim was to curb crime by attacking its “root causes” and taking care of juveniles and school dropouts.

The NGO also runs programmes on skill development and improving literacy in slums.
Bedi is also associated with another NGO – India Vision Foundation (IVF) – that works with children of prisoners, focusing on their reform and rehabilitation. Since 1994, IVF has engaged with 200 children whose parents are lodged in Tihar and Gurgaon jails, and has now expanded its area of focus to Dasna and Faridabad jails.

Bedi was made the face of Delhi BJP just 17 days before the election and then herself lost the election from Krishna Nagar constituency. She later apologised to party workers for not being able to deliver as per their expectations.