Om Puri, Kiran Bedi face privilege move after anti-MP tirade

While social activist Anna Hazare's indefinite fast for a strong anti-corruption watchdog has ended for now, his close colleague Kiran Bedi and veteran actor Om Puri find themselves in the parliamentary dock for their somewhat intemperate remarks about MPs.

Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar said today that she was considering a breach of privilege motion against the two for their "derogatory and defamatory" remarks against MPs during Hazare's public fast at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, which he ended on its 13th day on Sunday.

"The matter is under my consideration. I have received notices on the question of privilege," the speaker said after a number of MPs from the Congress as well as opposition parties demanded action against the two for "derogatory and defamatory words against members of parliament and also casting reflections on the house".

The motion against Bedi and Puri has been sent to the privilege committee by the speaker. It would be taken up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha today.

While former senior policewoman Bedi had attacked politicians in a parody at Ramlila Maidan, saying they wore several masks and could not trusted, Puri had gone a little further, calling them illiterate, rustic and useless.

The 60-year-old actor created a stir on Friday with his speech at the ground, in which he told the thousands gathered that he feels "ashamed when an IAS or IPS [administration or police] officer salutes a gawaar [illiterate] who is a neta [government minister].