Rage against Indian, US govts pours on 32nd anniversary of Bhopal gas tragedy

Special Correspondent

NewsBits.in

Bhopal: The anger of Bhopal gas tragedy survivors spilled over against MP, Indian and United State governments on the 32nd anniversary on Saturday.

Logos of US corporations, American flag and effigies representing ‘capitalist’ American and BJP governments were burnt in front of abandoned Union Carbide factory and slogans were raised against them.

Survivors said that it was due to collusion of Indian government with US corporations that justice was denied to them for last 32 years.

Various organizations representing the survivors organized protest events to mark the anniversary of the worst industrial disasters of world.

They reiterated the major demands of the survivors – enhanced compensation by presenting correct figures of dead and affected persons before Supreme Court, forcing Dow Chemical (current owner of Union Carbide) to appear in Bhopal court for criminal proceedings, cleanup of toxic waste from Union Carbide factory premises and surroundings, making Dow Chemical pay the compensation for environmental losses, better plans for economic and medical rehabilitation of survivors among others.

Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan and Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Sahayog Samiti held a protest meet at Yadgar-e-Shahjehani park and later submitted a memorandum of demands to gas relief and rehabilitation minister Vishwas Sarang.

A massive rally was taken out jointly by five organizations from Bharat Talkies to Union Carbide factory. The organizations included Bhopal Group for Information and Action, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal Gas Peedit Pensionbhogi Sangharsh Morcha, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha and Children Against Dow and Carbide.

Later they burnt huge logos of Dow Chemical, Union Carbide and American flag. A massive dummy serpent highlighting the pending issues of disaster survivors accompanied the rally.

The Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Sahayog Samiti and supporting organizations held a protest meet before the abandoned factory and burnt an effigy of American/BJP led central and state (MP) governments.

The Gas Peedit Sangharsh Morcha took out a mock funeral of American corporations and later conducted mock last rituals too.

All religion prayer meet

The annual all religion prayer meet of the state government was held at Barkatullah Bhavan on Saturday. However chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan gave it a miss due to ill health. All his official programmes for the day stood cancelled. Also Bhopal mayor Alok Verma was not present.

Gas relief and rehabilitation minister Vishwas Sarang and chief secretary BK Singh were among prominent persons present.