'I have plans for public service, not politics'

New Delhi, Mar 18: India's first woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi, who recently took voluntary retirement, today asserted that she had no plans to enter politics but would prefer public service through other means. Ms Bedi, who had opted for voluntary retirement in November last year after she could not become the Delhi Police commissioner said, she had no ''inclination'' towards politics. ''In fact, I would like to work for the public through other means,'' she added. To a poser on empowerment of women, the former police officer suggested the use of information technology as a tool to achieve the means. ''Women should use IT as a means to achieve their goals and aspirations...IT today means power,'' she said.

She appreciated the judges for swinging in favour of the fairer sex while delivering judgements. ''For the judges, gender is not an issue. They are delivering judgements which are unbiased,'' she said. She defended the judiciary by claiming that courts were providing justice despite being overburdened by a number of cases. "The courts are under pressure, but they are delivering judgements,'' she added.

As a public figure who often interacted with a variety of people, news and views -- she claimed -- were nutrition for her. ''I do not miss out on news and going through newspapers and magazines,' she said. Ms Bedi was participating in a programme ahead of the launch of TV show based on alternate dispute redressal on a private entertainment channel. She has recently been awarded the Annemarie-Madison prize for initiating reforms at Delhi's Tihar jail.

UNI