Team Anna rallies behind Kiran Bedi on privilege issue

The close supporters of social activist Anna Hazare, widely known as 'team Anna', on Tuesday rallied behind key team-member Kiran Bedi, who is facing a breach of privilege notice in Parliament for her remarks against lawmakers.

Arvind Kejriwal, another key team Anna member, said the entire team is "solidly" behind Bedi. He warned that such a privilege move will be perceived by people as lawmakers' way to seek revenge on them.

"She will respond to the notice as and when the notice is received. The notice has not been received so far. It does not constitute breach of privilege of Parliament. You may like it or not, that's a different thing but it does not constitute breach of privilege," he said.

Prashant Bhushan, lawyer and another Team Anna member, said the move to serve a notice to Bedi was "unfortunate as she had not said anything which could be termed as breach of privilege".

He claimed there was talk that he and another member Arvind Kejriwal would also get privilege notices.

Bedi, a former senior policewoman, had on Monday said she was not going to apologise and was prepared for any punishment.

"Sorry, no apology for being demonstratively a voice of public anguish. Prepared for any punishment," on a social networking site.

In contrast to Bedi's stand, actor Om Puri, who is also facing breach of privilege notice, was quick and profuse in his apologies for using derogatory remarks to deride the political class.