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Afghan
War surpasses Vietnam War in its duration |
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Manipal
UV to organise camp to promote Science & Research |
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Prime Minister reaches out to Kashmiris |
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Probe on into espionage angle in Andaman major's role |
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CBI to
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Bhopal
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 'No
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Excommunication of Muslims in Malegaon: Half-baked stories to
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 Bhopal
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Bhopal:
The gloom is unrelenting in the colonies near the Union Carbide
plant. This should have been a day of retribution but is one of
resignation, residents said Tuesday, a day after seven accused in
the world's worst industrial disaster got away with two years
imprisonment and immediate bail.
They are the residents of Shahid Nagar and Karon Colony, amongst
those colonies that have come to be known simply as 'gas-hit
localities' since that night of Dec 2-3, 1984 when methyl
iso-cyanate and other lethal gases leaked out killing 3,500 people
instantly and maiming several thousand others for life.
An estimated 15,000 people have died over the years with some
activists claiming that the figure is closer to 25,000.
The verdict from a local Bhopal court convicting eight people,
including one who has died, of criminal negligence is another
disaster, say the victims.
"What we had demanded was justice and this is what we have got in
return. Endless wait and no punishment to those who ruined our
lives," said A.P. Shukla, who lives in Karon Colony, just a
kilometre away from the now shut Union Carbide plant.
Shukla, who lost his two brothers and parents in the toxic leak,
said: "We were first deceived on the compensation front, then there
was no economic rehabilitation, and now the government cannot even
ensure that the guilty are punished."
Tarannum of Shaheed Nagar is equally furious.
"Our judicial system seems to acknowledge Americans and America more
than Indians and India...," said Tarannum, whose father died almost
seven years ago from ailments caused by the gas leak.
Warren Anderson, who headed Union Carbide Corp, the parent company
of Union Carbide, is now 89 and lives in near seclusion in the US.
He has never been prosecuted and was not amongst the eight accused.
And the anger runs deep.
"Should we go to court or should we take law in our hand? This is
the question in our mind after this shameful judgement," said Aziza
Sultan, a survivor who lives next to the Union Carbide plant.
She survived and regrets she lives to tell the tale.
"Those who survived the gas are the unlucky ones like me. The lucky
are those who died that night. It would have been better if I too
would have died then. I would have not seen this day at least."
Said Mazhar Abbas, who was not in Bhopal that night: "It is a shame
to award two years imprisonment to those eight accused... Is it
money power or political connections that have come to the relief of
the accused?"
"Had it been any other country, the culprits would have been either
shot or hanged. Are Indian not humans?" I.H. Siddique, a retired
bank official, asked. "Just imagine if Union Carbide were an Indian
company located in the US. What would the US have done?"
Siddique said he had seen his relatives die a slow death over the
years. Another relative has three daughters who have suffered
gynaecological problems after being exposed to the gas; now, no one
is willing to marry them.
According to retired insurance official Narendra Sharma, Monday's
ruling is a "cruel and inhuman" decision for those who had lost
everything in the fight for justice and were only clinging on to the
hope of appropriate punitive action against those responsible.
"Think of the families who lost everything. Think of the ones who
don't exist anymore. The justice system is terrible in India. Now
it's up to the media and the people to make a difference."
Tarannum, Aziza, Mazhar, Narendra... voices of anger, dejection and
defeat. They have spoken out for the last 25 years and there is no
rest yet.
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