Aradhana Sharma, NDTV.com, May 21, 2008
Survivors of the Bhopal Gas tragedy demonstrated outside the Prime Minister’s house on Wednesday. This is the latest in the recent series of protests by the victims of Bhopal gas tragedy towards the government apathy.
These victims have been on dharna in the Capital for over 50 days now. They want an empowered commission which will rehabilitate gas tragedy victims and a clean up of the union carbide site.
Three generations of victims were chained to their cause at the Prime Minister’s residence reminding the nation that the Bhopal gas tragedy cannot be forgotten.
”People die one day. But we are dying everyday because of the situation we live in,” says Bano, one of the victims.
It’s not only a battle for compensation but also a clean-up of the toxic union carbide site as even two decades after the gas leak, children are born with deformities.
”We want a National Commission which will look into rehabilitation, medical care and pension. We also want action against those responsible for the gas leak,” says Ajay, one the victim’s son.
Miffed by the government’s laxity, these protestors are ready to go upto any limit to make their voices heard.
”No one hears us out. All we are given are assurances. But this time we want more or we will just die here,” says Nagina Bi.
It has been a long march for them from Bhopal and then a two-month long dharna in Delhi. And they only want to know when will the Prime Minister meet them and address their problems.
But even this show of desperation didn’t get them an audience with the Prime Minister.

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