Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi, April 09: Magsaysay Awardee Dr Kiran Bedi refused to carry the Olympic torch by saying that she doesn’t want to run in the event as ‘caged woman’.
She also slammed the tight security arrangements for the event. “Better to let the torch travel on wheel or with the army”, a visibly upset Bedi said.
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi has been invited to attend the Indian leg of Olympic torch relay, scheduled to be held on April 17 in New Delhi.
President of IOA, Suresh Kalmadi, informed that some young members of parliament (MPs) including Rahul Gandhi have been invited. “Though I am yet to meet Rahul personally, but formal invitation has been sent to him,” Kalmadi told a private TV channel here.
However, sources close to Gandhi family disclosed that the young Gandhi is unlikely to accept the invitation. Though the reason behind Gandhi’s stand is not yet clear.
Earlier, batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, who has been ruled out of the ongoing Test series against South Africa, has been invited to carry the Olympic torch. Other greats from diverse fields like Leander Paes, actors Saif Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan, Tata Consultancy Services CEO Subramanian Ramadorai, Ingram Micro India CEO Jaishankar Krishnan and orthopaedic surgeon Dr Vaibhav Bagaria from Nagpur will also take part in the event.
Ex Olympian Milkha Singh and India’s number one golfer Jyoti Randhawa too have confirmed their participation in the event.
The torch-relay is taking place in the wake of worldwide protests by Tibetans against the crackdown in Lhasa. India’s football captain Baichung Bhutia is the only notable exception to have heeded the calls for boycotting the relay.
Kalmadi baffled by Kiran Bedi's pull-out
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Suresh Kalmadi said he is baffled by India's first woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi's pull out from the Olympic torch relay.
After Bedi withdrew, saying the heavy security build-up for the relay robbed the event of the spirit of freedom and harmony that it stands for, Kalmadi said he did not have a clue as to what prompted her change of mind.
"She had already agreed to take part (in the relay), I don't know why she changed her mind," Kalmadi told a private news channel.
The torch relay has already witnessed disruptions by pro-Tibet activists in London and Paris and the IOA chief made it clear that there would be fool-proof security when the flame arrives in the capital on April 17.
"As far as security is concerned, security of the torch relay is important...And is she was the Police Commissioner, I'm sure there have been equal amount of security," Kalmadi said.
First Published: Wednesday, April 09, 2008, 00:00