Om Puri, Kiran Bedi May Face 15 Days Jail

Film actor Om Puri and Anna Team member Kiran Bedi are to face privilege proceedings in Parliament for their "derogatory and defamatory" references to politicians during their speeches at Ramlila Maidan where Gandhian Anna Hazare was on fast. Notices for breach of privilege against Puri and Bedi were submitted in both Houses on Monday.

Om Puri had hit out at MPs for being "anpadh (illiterate)" and said "sab neta chor hain (all leaders are thieves)" while Bedi had parodied politicians for "wearing masks", pulling a scarf over her head. Bedi's "ghoonghat act" drew a sharp warning from leaders like JD(U)'s Sharad Yadav during Saturday's debate on Lokpal in Lok Sabha that MPs could hit back. Lawyer and Hazare group member Prashant Bhushan could also be summoned for saying that bills are passed for a monetary consideration although no privilege notice has been submitted against him.

The controversy saw Puri backtrack on Monday, saying he regretted his remarks. "The word 'anpadh' was in the wrong context...When you are emotionally charged sometimes words come out of your mouth and that happened to politicians (too)," He said his 'sab neta chor hain' remark was an obvious exaggeration. Bedi, on the other hand, was combative and said she gave voice to the frustration of the common man as the government was "playing games with us". She said, "I reiterate that the angst was not against any person. However, I am willing to undergo any punishment, even jail for the outcry of despair and anguish and for standing up for truth.''

After a restrained debate during which MPs by and large did not respond to the provocation offered by some civil society activists, politicians seem to be asserting themselves and if Bedi maintains her unapologetic stand, there could be a showdown. If found guilty of breach of privilege they can both face up to 15 days in jail.