Bhopal: Facts you should know.................

Bhopal: Facts you should know.................

Penny for poor

The Indian government filed a law suit in an US court and claimed damages worth $3.3 billion, in 1985. In February 1989, the Indian Government, led by Rajiv Gandhi, reached an out of court settlement with Union Carbide for $470 million, about 14% of what they originally claimed. Why did the govt bend so much? Because of the US pressure? Did the money reach the needy? 

Did he deserve conviction?

Arjun Singh, the CM of Madhya Pradesh when the disaster happened, 'got a call from someone, and he just obeyed the orders' to treat the Chief of Union Carbide warren Anderson as a state guest when he was "released" on bail, put on a state government flight, and flown to New Delhi. Anderson left the country soon thereafter, never to return ever again. Singh went on to become the Union Cabinet Minister for HRD in the early 90's and in the 2004-2009 UPA government. 

Something fishy........

Do you know who the lawyer for Dow Chemicals, which took over Union Carbide in 2000, is? Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Do you want to know what his official position now is? He is the official spokesperson of the Congress party at the national level. 

Medical facts covered up

Government denies all claims that victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy exposed to Methyl Isocynate gas are subject to congenital deformities or cancer risk. According to NR Bhandari, an ICMR investigator, the government suppressed the findings of the ICMR and the complete report has never been published. Many gas victims are suffering till date and most of the sufferers are poor people who were staying near by the tragedy site. These people are denied medical help as doctors refuse that they are gas affected.

Who is guilty?

Not one govt official — whether responsible for ensuring safety rules were adhered to or for assessing the potential health impact of the chemicals factory on the neighbouring Old Bhopal community — has been indicted. The dazzle of big names has the media and NGOs chasing high-profile defendants rather than the truly guilty. In Delhi’s Uphaar fire (1997) tragedy, Sushil Ansal was convicted despite being only a former director. The genuinely guilty party, Delhi Vidyut Board, got away with the trial of merely a junior engineer.