25TH ANNIVERSARY OF BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY - PRAMOD PRADHAN

25TH ANNIVERSARY OF BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY - PRAMOD PRADHAN

On the 25th Anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy – the worst Industrial Disaster in the world, three organisations i.e., Centre of Indian Trade Unions(CITU), All India Peoples Science Network and Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Sahyog Samiti jointly conducted one month long campaign which concluded in a massive public meeting in front of the Union Carbide Factory in Bhopal on 3-12-2009.

Addressing the public Meeting on 3rd December, 2009, Com. M.K.Pandhe, President of CITU said that even after 25 years of the worst ever industrial tragedy, people are continuing to die due to the poisonous gas effect but neither proper treatment is being given nor is there any planning for rehabilitation for the affected. Condemning the abject surrender of the Central and State Governments before M/s Union Carbide, the American Multinational, he said it is evident that the imperialism is indulging in inhuman exploitation and brutality and it is the main source of injustice towards the people of third world countries. Expressing solidarity with the struggle of the gas affected Com. Pandhe declared that CITU will continue this struggle with its full strength. He said that in the proposed Civil Nuclear Liability Bill the Government has given complete freedom to the American MNCs to cause much bigger disaster than Bhopal Tragedy in the country. Therefore, without fighting against the policies of the Central Government and its pro-US attitude, our goal of “No to another Bhopal” will not be possible.

Com. Badal Saroj, Vice President MP State CITU, Pramod Pradhan, General Secretary, MP State CITU, Sadhna Karnik, Convenor, Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Committee and Asha Mishra, General Secretary, BGVS also spoke on the occasion.

After the meeting, thousands of gas affected tried to enter the carbide factory in the form of a Rally through the gate. When the agitators tried to enter the factory they were forcefully stopped by the police forces. The agitators then staged a Dharna in front of gate.

NATIONAL SEMINAR ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

Earlier a two day National Seminar was organised jointly by CITU and the other two organisations at the TTTI Auditorium , Bhopal on 01st and 02nd December, 09.

Dr S.P. Shukla, former Finance Secretary, Govt. of India and member Planning Commission inaugurated the seminar.

Addressing the seminar main speaker Com. Dipankar Mukherjee, National secretary of CITU dwelt on the state of anarchy prevailing in safety & health of workers in industries in the country. Because of contractorisation of labour and planned de-trade unionisation on the shop floor, backed by the Government policy, Bhopal Gas Accident is being reenacted today across the country CITU will continue its struggle to ensure that there is “no more Bhopal” in future.

Second session of the Seminar was presided over by the popular poet and Sahitya Academy award winner Rajesh Joshi. Addressing the session, eminent Scientist Prabir Purkayastha said that imperialist countries like USA consider the people of India as a laboratory to test their experiments. Third session concentrated on the issue of legal battle of the victims and medical treatment and rehabilitation. Dr.P.R.Dev, Dr.Ajay Khare, Dr. N.Gaensh, Vinod Raina and N.D.Jayaprakash addressed the session. Last, session of the day centered on the after effects of globalisation, Multinational companies and technology on contemporary India. Com. Suneet Chopra, National secretary of All India Agricultural Workers Union addressing the session explained the role played by multinational companies in India in the globalisation period. Dr.Venugopal Rao, AGJVV, Prof.Vikas Rawal of JNU spoke about the effects and challenges of chemicalisation of agriculture in India. Gopal Krishna, Convenor of National Campaign against dangerous industries spoke on the subject “India – Garbage house of Western dangerous industry”. All the speakers were of the opinion that neo-colonial economic policies are intended to exploit the third world countries.

Participating in the seminar as a special guest, eminent American Scientist and chemical engineer Barry Castleman spoke on the subject “Double standard of multinational companies”. He said that the multinational companies adopt a totally opposite set of international norms in industrial safety in poor countries.

The Second day of the Seminar on 02.12.2009, focused on the subject “Industrial Safety – Question of health and Pollution and the legal framework” in the first session.

Inaugurating the session Com. Ardhendhu Dakshi, National Secretary of CITU and President of Steel Workers Federation of India said that even after the grave Bhopal Tragedy both the Central and State Governments have not learnt any lessons in regard to industrial safety and health of the workers. He further said that the criminal negligence is being shown by the enforcement machinery and legal institutions towards the ever increasing industrial accidents.

D.Raghunandan of Delhi Science Forum, presented factual details in regard to the problems of industrial safety and scope for improvement. T. Jayaraman of TISS spoke on the Indo-American nuclear deal and said that by introducing the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill, central government has shown its utter irresponsibility towards the people of the country and the government’s surrender to the American companies. Pointing out the various provisions of industrial safety rules, Devanjan Chakraborty, General Secretary of Construction Workers Federation of India said that not a single rule and safety provisions is being followed by the industries. In construction industry maximum accidents are happening but they are not getting any compensation. Sourabh Dutta of Steel Workers Federation explained in detail the safety measures in steel industry. Com.Ram Asre Yadav, of Transport Workers Federation of India also spoke. The conclusion was that stronger the unions greater the industrial safety.

A major part of the Second day discussion was centered around the industrial safety and health scenario in Madhya Pradesh. MP State Committee of CITU had prepared a case study in regard to the explosive factories in Singrauli and the Jayant Project of National Coal Limited at Singrouli and conducted survey in 30 different factories. Reports were also prepared for industrial safety and health measure in SECIL, NCL, WCL, BHEL, NFL, NTPC, Defence Industries, Raymonds factories and Synthetic Fibre Plant at Nagda. These reports were presented.

Com. Badal Saroj presented the main report, citing facts anf figures showing the deplorable condition of safety and health in both organized and unorganized sector in Madhya Pradesh. Com. Jitendra Sodhi from SECL, Com. Tazumudding from WCL and Com. Eshwarlal from NCL, Com. Vijon Guha Thakurta from Defence Industry Organisation gave details of the safety hazards faced by the workers in their industries.

The two day National Seminar concluded on 2nd December, 09 with a joint convention. The convention was presided by a presidium consisting of Com.A.T.Padmanabhan of CITU, Com.Amit Sen Gupta of AIPSN and Com.Sadhna Karnik Pradhan of Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Sahyog Samiti.

The Convention was addressed by Com. Dipankar Mukherjee, National Secretary of CITU, Roop Singh Chouhan General Secretary, AITUC, Madhya Pradesh D.Raghunandan of AIPSN and Com. Pramod Pradhan, General Secretary, MP State CITU.

Source: www.citucentre.org

THE ENDLESS AGONY OF BHOPAL VICTIMS- M K PANDHE

One of the worst disasters in the world which accounted for over 20,000 lives and maiming for the entire life of lakhs of others occurred in Bhopal on 3rd December 1984. The entire world was shocked at the ghastly tragedy, but the powers that be in India were concerned with the safety of the perpetrator of the genocide, Warren Anderson when he visited Bhopal on 7th December 1984 he was arrested but within hours released and sent to Delhi by the special plane of the Chief Minister. Within 2 days, he was allowed to go to USA under heavy protection after meeting the President and Home Minister of India.

The Congress governments at the Centre and Madhya Pradesh were totally unconcerned at the violation of safety norms. The leakage of tonnes of deadly Methyl Iso Cyanate gas was not a problem for the Congress Government; protection to Anderson was a more important task than attending to sufferings of the working class population living around the Union Carbide factory. The legitimate anger at the acute suffering of the people was characterised as a law and order problem. In the darkness of night, several thousands of rail passengers, in their sound sleep, inhaled the killer gas; thus people from all corners of the country continued to suffer for several years. The government, however, never felt the need to attend to their problems. The government of India’s main concern was how to ensure the safe passage of the worst criminal of the year.

HONOURABLE EXIT OF A CRIMINAL:

The hypocrisy of those who now talk of extradition of Anderson for trial stands fully exposed by the permission granted to him to honourably leave India. The people of Bhopal in agony can be ignored but how can a representative of MNCs, that too from USA, be antagonised? If Anderson would not have been permitted to leave India, US multinationals may not invest in India. Those who talk of extradition of Anderson fully know that the Uncle Sam would never agree to this and there is no question of his coming to India for trial. The statements are made only to hoodwink the gullible!

Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily candidly admitted that the verdict was at par with a minor truck accident. The Supreme Court deleted Section 302 from the chargesheet and only Section 304, which is generally used for a road accident, was made applicable. The Supreme Court Judge who showed this favour to Union Carbide became chairman of the hospital complex of Union Carbide. It is a clear case of judicial impropriety but the Union Law Ministry never interfered in this glaring case. His call for extradition of Anderson is meant only for public consumption.

Dow Chemicals was allowed to escape any liability for rehabilitation of the gas tragedy-affected persons. A Singhvi, a prominent Congress leader, was its lawyer. This underlines the closeness of the MNCs with the ruling party representatives. It is reported in the press that several political leaders of the ruling class have benefited from the largesse of Union Carbide. This explains the vested interest of the ruling classes to protect the Union Carbide management.

The Lok Sabha Committee on Government Assurances, which included members of all major political parties in 2003, noted, “ The Committee are of the firm opinion that involving such a great industrial disaster involving a foreign company, the State Government could not have taken a unilateral decision on arrest and release of Anderson.”

The panel, therefore, held both the governments in the state and the centre equally responsible for the drama. The observations of the Parliamentary Committee were curtly ignored by the UPA Government when it came to power in 2004.

RELEASE AT US DIKTATS:

The CIA documents which have been declassified recently admitted that the government of India under Rajiv Gandhi had taken expeditious steps to release and send back Warren Anderson to USA. P.C. Alexander, the then special secretary in the Prime Minister’s Secretariat has noted that US Government’s pressure was responsible for the release and return of Anderson to USA. All attempts by the spokesmen of the Congress party to deny US pressure is only making the people convinced that US Government’s diktats were responsible for the freedom given to an accused responsible for this mass genocide.

The victims who survived after the gas leak failed to get proper medical treatment. The hospitals meant for their treatment were giving only prescriptions to the patients who did not have money to buy those medicines. Several victims had to go to private practitioners to get treatment. Many persons died due to want of medical treatment but they were recorded as natural deaths. The actual number of victims who died due to gas leak is much more than what is mentioned in the official statistics.

The water in the nearby locality is still contaminated and unfit for drinking. Many workers are suffering from water-borne diseases and are not considered as victims of the gas tragedy. I had an occasion to visit Bhopal on the occasion of 25th Anniversary of the gas tragedy and several workers told me how they have been suffering due to contamination of water. But who cares for them?

For the Government of India and the Supreme Court, the value of human life in India is negligible. The amount of compensation was brought down to a ridiculously low amount of $500 providing relief, not to the victims, but to Union Carbide, making it a mockery of the very concept of compensation. Several persons seriously affected by the gas leak found it extremely difficult to prove that they were victims of this tragedy. The official rules were made rigid only to favour Union Carbide. How many kickbacks were received by bureaucrats and politicians in this shady deal will perhaps be never known to the public.

COMPLICITY OF CONGRESS & NDA GOVERNMENTS:

BJP leaders today are criticising the Congress Party for its complicity in the tragedy of great magnitude. But when they were in government they never made any serious attempt to get Anderson extradited and tried in the court of law. They meekly accepted the US government’s refusal to accept his extradition. CBI continued the policy of protecting the interests of Union Carbide. The BJP Government in Madhya Pradesh failed to provide adequate medical relief and rehabilitation to the gas victims. The crocodile tears being shed by BJP leaders now is only an attempt to cover up their failures.

The indecent haste being made by the UPA government to get the Nuclear Liability Bill, which exempts the foreign supplier of the nuclear equipment in the event of a nuclear disaster, only exposes its servile attitude towards MNCs. It is a part of the commitment given by the Manmohan Singh Government to US imperialism. Instead of adopting a policy of self-reliance, the UPA government is succumbing to the pressure of diktats by the MNCs and damaging the interests of the country and its people.

After one week of heated debate all over the country, the Prime Minister of India suddenly woke up to ask Group of Ministers under the Chairmanship of the Home Minister to give a report within 10 days. The unwritten directive to the GOM must be to give a clean chit to the then Prime Minster, Rajiv Gandhi. However, can an accused be allowed to leave the country after his arrest without the knowledge of the Prime Minister, one may ask?

The suffering of the people of Bhopal has no parallel in history. The culprit going scot free without any punishment will also have no parallel in history. And now the efforts to cover up such a criminal act also probably will have no parallel in history!

Source: www.citucentre.org

BASUDEB ACHARIA, CITU LEADER AND PARLIAMENT MEMBER, CONGRATULATES THE MOVEMENT BY THE VICTIMS OF BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY

VERDICT ON BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY –TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE AND GOVERNANCE - CITU

Press Release

07-06-2010

CITU is shocked to note that after 26 years of world’s biggest industrial disaster claiming 25000 lives and leaving millions perpetually sick in and around Union Carbide factory, Bhopal, the verdict has come making mockery of administrative and legal process in the country. From the very beginning, various institutions of the judiciary including the apex court diluted the crime against people of India and Bhopal in particular committed by an American MNC. CITU notes that the Government miserably failed to book all those who were responsible for this mass murder before the court of law in suitable manner. This judgment will encourage other corporate, both Indian and foreign, to ignore all safety norms in otherwise accident prone industrial scenario of the country as they can get away scot-free in the eventuality of disasters like Bhopal Gas Tragedy. CITU demands stern action against all those, including erstwhile CMD of Union Carbide as criminals. CITU further demands that all the victims have to be compensated adequately. CITU further warns the people of India of similar accidents if the Government of India continues its strategic flirting with US as evident from the Nuclear Liability Bill brought before the Parliament to serve the interests of U.S Government and American nuclear manufacturers.