Alleged abuse of power by Puducherry Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi

Hyderabad: Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi’s granddaughter has recorded a selfie video and uploaded it on social media stating categorically that she has not been kidnapped and is happy with her father, Mr Ruzbeh N. Bharucha, in their home.

The video, which has gone viral on social media, with people speaking about the courage of the child and Ms Bedi, a former policewoman and anti-corruption crusader, and the marital conflict.

The video appears to have been recorded at home and shows her father in another room. She says she is with her father and no one has hurt her or harassed her.

In the video, she tells her mother Saina Bedi, “I and daddy don’t want to live with you. We want to be away from you.” She says, “I am very ashamed to be the granddaughter of Dr Kiran Bedi. The only one that too. When I called and told you (Ms Kiran Bedi) that my mother is hitting my father with chappals, you said that it is between husband and wife. Nani, why are you using police influence now?”

The child repeatedly pointed out that she was safe and happy with her father.

The video was posted on Twitter by Deepika Bhardwaj, a film-maker, who said: “I am appalled that Kiran Bedi told her granddaughter that it’s a matter between husband and wife when her daughter beat up her husband with chappals, spit on him and thrashed him. I wonder if you’d say the same if a husband did this to his wife. You would book him under Section 498A.”

The video appeared to open the floodgates. Mr Mike Mehta, a watch collector, alleged on Twitter that Ms Kiran Bedi’s husband had “died a miserable death”. Aditya Neema alleged that the Lt Governor was “unfairly using state machinery and police against a common man”.

The issue of child support and lack of a shared parenting law in India has also been raised as there are many children who may be silently suffering and would not have the courage to seek help. The move of the child to come out with a video on the stand and seek help shows the trauma that the family is facing.

This newspaper reached out to Ms Bedi who said in a Whatsapp message: “The matter is already closed. As the court has served a notice I believe to U tube and directed the child hereswlf to bring it down by Tom. I have not seen the order. But am informed by the lawyer About this. As above. Hence there is no scope for any comments. Since it involves a child, matter is exceedingly sensitive. Talking about it or writing about it I am not sure whether it will be appropriate. At this stage (sic).”