Thiruvananthapuram: Team Anna member Kiran
Bedi, charged with submitting inflated air travel bills to her
hosts, on Tuesday defended herself saying she was right in claiming
business class fare while travelling economy class as the
excess amount went for the education of poor children.
Interacting with the audience at a book release function
here, she said whatever surplus money she generated by way of
overcharging would go for supporting education of poor
children through her NGO.
"I did the right thing. If DC Books (the organisers of
today's function) invites me saying that they will pay me
business class fares to attend their function and I come in
economy class, I save around 10,000 rupees. And this money
goes for a project. Is it right or wrong? This is what I've
done," she said.
She said all that she has earned over the last 15 years
by writing or speaking at public forums has gone to her NGO.
"You tell me is it right or wrong? It's not just now. For
the last 15 years, all the works I have written, all the
rewards I got, all the speaking fees I got have gone to my
NGO. Have I done the right thing or not?.. Well.. This is what
I am doing," she said.
However, Bedi refused to comment on either Sri Sri
Ravishankar skipping Rahul Gandhi's constituency Amethi during
his anti-corruption campaign or Swami Agnivesh's decision to
participate in TV reality show Bigg Boss, saying they have a
right to make their own choices.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, November 08, 2011, 22:52