November 12, 2014

20 eminent Delhiites today visited five women survivors of the Union Carbide gas disaster and their supporter who are on the second day of their water-less fast and spoke in support of their protest at Jantar Mantar. They also called upon the Prime Minister and the Minister of Chemicals to resolve the issues related to additional compensation immediately.

The five organizations that are leading the dharna and waterless fast said they had not received any communication from the government so far. They organizations said that in the last four years, they have written 15 letters to the central government including 4 to the current regime and none of them have been answered.

Justice (Retd.) Rajendra Sachar, D. Raja, General Secretary, Communist Party of India, veteran journalist Kuldip Nayyar, renowned photographer Raghu Rai, legal scholar Usha Ramanathan, columnist Praful Bidwai, Kavita Krishnan, Secretary, All India Progressive Womens’ Association, human rights activist Gautam Navlakha and representatives of Jawaharlal Nehru University students union and Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association who visited the protest site also signed an open letter to the Prime Minister calling for immediate resolution of the issues raised by the survivors’ organizations.

Leaders of the survivors’ organizations also called upon the Prime Minister to ensure that American Dow Chemical Company does not get away with its disrespect for Indian courts. Dow Chemical did not appear before the Bhopal District court to which it was summoned today.

“This September our Prime Minister extended the American corporations the warmest welcome to India they have ever had. And now the number one American corporation Dow Chemical has just today defied the summons of the Bhopal District Court. This is an issue of national significance that the Prime Minister must address himself as he is in charge of the prosecution, CBI.”  The five organizations said in a joint statement.

Bhopal Group for Information & Action, one of the five organizations protesting at Jantar Mantar has filed an application today for publication of proclamation against Dow Chemical or ex-parte proceeding against the offending corporation.

The organizations said that the Government must immediately announce that it will not allow Dow Chemical to make any investment in India till it obeys the summons of the Indian courts. It must also prepare to move against Dow Chemical’s Indian subsidiaries to enforce criminal jurisdiction.

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