On Bhopal gas tragedy eve, survivors' groups slam BJP over 'denial' of justice
Bhopal (PTI): On the eve of the 41st anniversary of the Bhopal gas tragedy, four organisations representing survivors on Monday accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of denying them justice and prolonging their suffering, a charge stoutly denied by the saffron party.
At least 5,479 people died and thousands were maimed for life after the highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from Union Carbide Corporation (UCC)'s pesticide unit in Bhopal on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, in one of the worst industrial disasters in the world.
At a press conference marking the 41st anniversary of the disaster, the organisations released a "Bhopal Survivors' Chargesheet against the BJP" and alleged the party, currently in power in Madhya Pradesh and at the Centre, has consistently served the interests of US corporations over those of Indian citizens.
Rashida Bee, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh, said, "The BJP in the state government and at the Centre has betrayed the Bhopal gas tragedy survivors like no other political party."
"A prominent member of BJP is known to have protected Union Carbide's local management from charges of poisoning water around the factory and another prominent member wrote a legal opinion absolving Dow Chemical (the current owner of Union Carbide) of its environmental liabilities in Bhopal which was contrary to the Indian government's official opinion," she alleged.
Balkrishna Namdeo, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pensionbhogee Sangharsh Morcha, said, "Then-Union Home Minister LK Advani in 2002, directed the prosecuting agency CBI to seek dilution of criminal charges against Warren Anderson (former CEO of US firm UCC) and Union Carbide in the criminal case related to the disaster. Credit must go to the judge in the Bhopal district court who rejected CBI's application and prevented this injustice against the victims."
Commenting on rehabilitation measures, Rachna Dhingra of the Bhopal Group for Information & Action said, "Medical and economic rehabilitation of Bhopal survivors have been worst under the BJP rule.
"In 2008, under the Congress rule at the Centre, we were granted our demand for setting up of an Empowered Commission on Bhopal for long-term rehabilitation (of survivors), but the then-BJP Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan stopped it. Today, the survivors are suffering in the absence of such a commission," Dhingra alleged.
Nawab Khan, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, maintained that American multinational Dow Chemical, which bought Union Carbide in 1999, continues to expand its business in India.
"Despite being legally forbidden, public sector undertakings are brazenly purchasing Union Carbide's products from Dow Chemical and the corporation is expanding its business in India like never before," Khan alleged.
However, the Madhya Pradesh BJP rejected the allegations made by the organisations.
"Our government has always treated issues concerning the Bhopal gas survivors with priority and seriousness, whether they relate to judicial matters, medical treatment or any other subject. I respectfully disagree with all the allegations levelled against the BJP," state party spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi asserted.
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LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
