I read it over and over again in my school textbooks in small “Add to your knowledge" boxes and dismissed it as a mere accident but time has put it again in front of you and me as an accident and shameless blame game that transpired over 25 years and still continuing.
A tragedy became a political drama with characters- Warren Anderson, Arjun Singh and many more
Warren M. Anderson (born 1921) is a former chairman and chief executive officer of Union Carbide. He held these posts during the Bhopal Disaster in which an estimated 25,000 people died that took place in a plant belonging to a publicly traded Indian subsidiary, Union Carbide India Limited, in the city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
A child is taught by his parents and teachers that if you make a mistake, don't make another of not apologizing for it. But Mr. Anderson has not been taught such lessons rather tricks to escape. He is a human in the end. Design might have been faulty, but the attitude of Mr. Anderson and America is beyond limits of pardon.
- Greenpeace asserts that as the Union Carbide CEO, Anderson knew about a 1982 safety audit of the Bhopal plant, which identified 30 major hazards and that they were not fixed in Bhopal but were fixed at the company's identical plant in the US.
- Union Carbide asserts that the Bhopal plant addressed all of the identified issues well before the December 1984 gas leak and that none of them had anything to do with the disaster.
Before pointing a finger at respected Mr. Anderson, let us look at our own self , our country , our leaders
One name that doesn't seem to die - Mr. Arjun Singh
If you grant right to an Indian science student or a Madhya Pradesh resident to kill one person it will not be Mr. Anderson but Mr. Arjun Singh. It seems as if even hell is not ready to accept him that is why he's still alive.
He destroyed lives of millions of students slogging their priceless youth struggling to get admission in premier engineering and medical colleges just to see an SC, ST, OBC fellow weighing 10% of his standards getting admission gracefully.
Once again not to surprise, his wonder works are in front of us.
As the Union Carbide CEO until retirement in 1986, Anderson was charged with manslaughter in the Bhopal disaster case. Anderson, having gone to India after the disaster, was arrested and released on bail by the Madhya Pradesh Police in Bhopal on December 7, 1984. He fled back to the US and refused to return to India.
It feels as if Mr. Anderson was invited to the beautiful country India for a holiday to watch bollywood flicks and wonder at the beauty of the Taj Mahal and then when he feels like, a bail would be issued and a luxury car to IGI airport, New Delhi-----> BACK TO HOME!
Pranab Mukherjee-
"It is very clear from the statement of Arjun Singh, which was published in The Times of India on December 8, 1984, that the law and order situation in Bhopal would have deteriorated and people's frenzy and temper were running high. Therefore, it was thought necessary to send him (Anderson) out of Bhopal,".
US foreign secretary had agreed to send Mr. Anderson to India on assurance that he won't be arrested, which stands as a surprise. It was accepted stands as a bigger surprise.
रघुकुल रीति सदा चली आई , प्राण जाई पर वचन न जाई ||
Amazing isn't it?
Can we put up a question here "why was he ever invited to India?"
there is no better answer than a HOLIDAY.
If you feel that my article is agitated exaggeration please don't read further. It is certainly full of anger and remorse but when I look at life in Bhopal I feel I am being very polite against this world.
It has been over 25 years and in India, crime kills thousands injustice kills millions.
As it is said
Justice delayed is justice denied.
25 years passed away forget about justice, 25,000 who died and millions ,who have been living a life worse than death, are still crying and yelling for a touch of assurance and a word of care.
Today's scenario is half of the affected have been given compensation that too namesake. They lost what money cannot fulfill and what they are paying is what money can't buy. They are mourning in front of those who don't know the sense of loss and those who have lost the feelings of humanity and honesty. Wonder what the big guns traded 25,000 lives- for dollars, rupees or for free.
Mahatma Gandhi once said
“अन्याय करने वाले से अन्याय सहनेवाला ज्यादा गुन्हेगार होता है”
But we are in nation where injustice is justice and a voice is contempt of court.
अजब गजब सी दुनिया है
ये बर्बरो की बस्ति है
आटा-दाल यहाँ सब महेंगे हैं
बस जान यहाँपर सस्ती है
All I wish to say at this point of time, let us do our bit. Let us not let this flame die out this time. We took 25 years to wake up from our slumber. Let us uphold this torch and share it with all. Unite all fellows yell for Bhopal.
Let us unite for the word LIFE.
