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Obama,
Tata face wrath of Bhopal survivors
Thursday December 02, 2010 01:36:41 PM , Shahnawaz
Akhtar, IANS
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Bhopal:
They had nothing to do with the Bhopal gas tragedy, but US
President Barack Obama and Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata are
still the target of public anger on the 26th anniversary of the
world's worst industrial disaster - on the ground that have not
done enough for survivors.
"On Dec 2 and Dec 3, we will not only burn the effigy of then CEO
of Union Carbide Waren Anderson but also other people who are
saving him from the charges. It includes Barack Obama, Ratan Tata
along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P.
Chidambaram," Satinath Sarangi of Bhopal Group for Information and
Action told IANS.
On the night of Dec 2-3, 1984, 40 tonnes of methyl isocyanate gas
leaked out from the now defunct Union Carbide plant. At least
3,000 were killed instantly and an estimated 25,000 have lost
their lives since then.
It also affected 100,000 people that night and estimates are more
than 500,000 still continue to suffer in myriad ways, some
psychologically scarred, some emotionally tormented.
Sarangi explained why Obama deserves the wrath of survivors.
"The US government had taken stern action against British
Petroleum in the oil spill case in which only 11 people were
killed but they never acknowledged the worst industrial disaster
caused by an American company," he said.
"Warren Anderson lives in America but during Obama's tour to
India, Obama did not utter a single word on the Bhopal gas
tragedy," he said. Anderson was chief of Union Carbide when the
tragedy occurred.
Prior to and during Obama's Nov 6-9 India tour, the survivors left
no stone unturned to get their voices heard but the historic tour
ended without a mention about the disaster that has earned itself
a new time-line in history chapters.
Sarangi also explained why Tata is in the list.
"He is the co-chairperson of USIBC (United States-India Business
Council) which had organised Obama's tour to India. But prior to
the arrival of Obama to India, we had mailed and sent him several
letters to arrange a 10-minute meeting with him but Tata did not
act on it and remained indifferent like others," he said.
The five organisations - Children Against Dow-Carbide, Bhopal Gas
Peedit Mahila Purush Sangarsh Morcha, Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit
Pension Bhogi Sangarsh Morcha, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationary
Karamchari Sangh and Bhopal Group for Information and Action -
together released a book about the disaster.
The book has a caricature showing survivors furiously hitting the
statue of Dow-Carbide but Obama, Tata and Manmohan Singh holding
it and not letting it fall.
"Till the time we do not get justice, we will not spare any person
who would deny justice. And if this battle will be fought in
coming generations too, we would fight till the last breath," said
an emotionally-charged Safreen Khan of Children Against
Dow-Carbide.
(Shahnawaz
Akhtar can be contacted be at shahnawaz.a@ians.in)
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