Set up empowered commission to ensure Bhopal gas tragedy victims get medical care, demand activists
Bhopal (PTI): Organisations and activists on Tuesday demanded an empowered commission to ensure the Bhopal gas tragedy victims receive proper medical care, compensation, and rehabilitation, and accused the Madhya Pradesh government of "inaction".
Various organisations in Bhopal paid tributes to the gas tragedy victims by taking out torchlight processions and candlelight vigils on the 41st anniversary of one of the worst industrial disasters in the world.
Highly toxic methyl isocyanate gas leaked from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal on the intervening nights of December 2-3, 1984. At least 5,479 people were killed and thousands were maimed.
The government has declared December 3 a holiday in the state capital. Schools, colleges, banks and all government offices will remain shut.
An all-religion prayer meeting has been organised at the 'Barkatullah Bhawan' of the Central Library, which will be attended by minister Shah.
Talking to PTI, Rachna Dhingra of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action criticised the move, and said, "The idea of dharma sabha (all-religion prayer meeting) is not only ridiculous, but also hypocritical. Gas victims are dying every day and suffering due to the government's inaction."
"Gas victims are being deprived of free and proper medical care throughout the year because there are no doctors in gas relief hospitals. Funds allocated for employment and pensions for Bhopal gas victims are being misused. Toxic waste has not been cleaned up, and the culprits are still at large," she said.
If the government truly cares about the victims, it should establish an empowered commission on the Bhopal gas tragedy to ensure they receive proper medical care, compensation, and rehabilitation, she demanded.
Dhingra also accused Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation of never visiting the areas where gas victims live.
The Sambhavna Trust Clinic, which works for the rights of gas victims, organised a torchlight procession from the Chola Ganesh temple in the capital and paid tributes to the gas victims.
Earlier, the families of the victims burned an effigy of Dow Chemical (the current owner of Union Carbide).
An official from the Sambhavna Trust Clinic said that more than 26,000 gas victims have received treatment there so far.
The Bhopal Gas Peedit Audyogik Sangthan also organised a torchlight procession from Shahjahani Park to pay tributes to the gas victims.
On the 41st anniversary of the Bhopal gas tragedy, a candlelight vigil was held at the Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre. Hospital staff, including the in-charge medical superintendent, Dr Anurag Yadav, was present.
This institute was established as directed by the Supreme Court to provide a comprehensive three-tier, super-specialised care to the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy and to extend its services to the wider public.
On Monday, four organisations working for the victims of the gas tragedy, released a "Bhopal victims' charge sheet" against the BJP, alleging that despite being in power at the Centre and in the state, the party worked in the interest of American corporations rather than Indian citizens.
However, the BJP categorically rejected these allegations, stating the party government has always prioritised and seriously addressed the issues of Bhopal gas victims, whether they involve legal matters, treatment or any other subject.
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Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol unveil ‘DDLJ’ sculpture at London’s Leicester Square
London (PTI): Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol huddled under an umbrella on a rainy Thursday in London to unveil their bronze likeness from an iconic ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ scene.
The sculpture of the duo joins Leicester Square’s ‘Scenes in the Square’ trail depicting memorable shots from some of the world’s most famous films, with ‘DDLJ’ marking a Bollywood first and the 30th anniversary of the 1995 box-office hit. It is in this popular London square that SRK as Raj and Kajol as Simran first cross paths unknowingly.
“DDLJ was made with a pure heart. We wanted to tell a story about love, how it can bridge barriers and how the world would be a better place if it had a lot of love in it, and I think this is why 'DDLJ' has had a lasting impact for over 30 years now," said Khan.
“Personally, 'DDLJ' is part of my identity, and it is humbling to see film, and Kajol and me, receiving so much love since it was released,” he said.
He expressed his gratitude to the Heart of London Business Alliance, behind the cinematic trail at Leicester Square, for celebrating ‘DDLJ’ and “immortalising” its lead stars.
“Seeing ‘DDLJ’ become the first Indian film to be honoured in the iconic Scenes in the Square trail is an emotional moment and has brought back so many memories.
"I feel immense pride knowing the film has been embraced around the world, and I want to share this moment with the entire cast and crew of ‘DDLJ’, my friend and director Aditya Chopra and the Yash Raj Films family. This is a moment I will never forget,” added Khan.
Kajol, joined by her daughter Nysa and son Yug, posed with Khan in front of the statue as she braved the rain in a green saree.
“It’s incredible to see ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ continue to receive so much love, even 30 years later. Watching the statue being unveiled in London felt like reliving a piece of our history - a story that has truly travelled across generations,” said Kajol.
“Seeing it find its rightful place in Leicester Square, a location of such enormous significance to ‘DDLJ’, makes this moment even more special. For the film to be honoured in this way in the UK – the first Indian film to receive such recognition – is something that will forever stay in the hearts and minds of all the ‘DDLJ’ fans across the world,” she said.
Their statue, captured in a dancing pose from the hit song ‘Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna’, joins the likes of Harry Potter, Bridget Jones, Mary Poppins, and Batman in what is dubbed as an ever-growing celebration of movie magic in a square packed with multiplex cinema screens.
“When ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, DDLJ, was released 30 years ago, the film became a defining moment for Indian cinema and changed the face of the industry, capturing the hearts of everyone who saw it all over the globe," said Akshaye Widhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films.
“We’re thrilled to be the first Indian film to be represented in ‘Scenes in the Square’. It also marks 30 years of DDLJ, a film that has spread love and joy globally, and shows the cultural impact it has had in UK.
“We are honoured that our superstars and our film are being recognised on the world stage alongside the Hollywood elite, from Gene Kelly to Laurel & Hardy to Harry Potter. This statue will be a great way to express the international appeal of Indian movies and build bridges amongst communities through cinema,” he said.
Since its release in 1995, ‘DDLJ’ has become the longest-running film in Hindi cinema history.
Ros Morgan, Chief Executive at Heart of London Business Alliance, said: “We’re proud to welcome global megastars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol to our Scenes in the Square trail.
"Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is a cinematic phenomenon that has shaped generations, and London’s first tribute to Indian cinema honours a story whose magic continues to captivate audiences worldwide.”
It is a particularly special year for the film, with a musical based on the romance playing to packed houses at Manchester’s Opera House earlier this year. Aditya Chopra reprised his role as director of the English language stage production, ‘Come Fall In Love – The DDLJ Musical’, which revolved around the love story of Simran and Roger.
The script was a nod to the original as it followed Simran as a young British Indian woman who finds herself engaged to a family friend in India in an arranged marriage. However, the plot thickens when she falls in love with a British man named Roger.
