Media highlights rape, ignores graft: Bedi

Key Team Anna member Kiran Bedi found herself at the centre of a controversy when she remarked that media highlighted "small rape or assault" cases against government officials while it completely ignored evidence of corruption against UPA ministers.

Key Team Anna member Kiran Bedi found herself at the centre of a controversy when she remarked that media highlighted "small rape or assault" cases against government officials while it completely ignored evidence of corruption against UPA ministers.

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Bedi, India's first woman IPS officer, made the remarks on Sunday while addressing reporters at the sidelines of Baba Ramdev's three-day fast at the Ramlila Maidan. Bedi accused the media of glossing over corruption allegations against several UPA ministers and not giving them enough coverage despite the now disbanded Team Anna providing evidence to it.

"Thankfully, media does not discuss it (allegations) a single time. Ask yourself. On a small rape case or assault, which a low-ranking police official commit, how you would discuss it. But against 15 ministers, Prashant Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal had given the evidence but nobody from among you media hold any debate or discussion over the issue," Bedi told mediapersons.

"Tell me, why you haven't done that? Do you fear them?" Bedi asked. Despite repeated attempts she was not available for comments.

She later tweeted that 'deliberate wrong news' was being circulated to distract people from knowing what she said.

"I never said rape is a small crime. I said when a low ranked person commits rape he is hung while big ones go scot-free. It was about comparative punishment. Small officer (not small rape) involved in rape is hung while big ones go scot-free!" she explained.

(With PTI inputs)