Press Conference
October 2, 2023

At a Press Conference today, four organizations of the survivors of the Union Carbide disaster celebrated their success in having the summons of the Bhopal District Court served upon The Dow Chemical Company in the criminal case arising out of the December 1984 gas disaster. They demanded that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) ensure speedy prosecution of the US corporation, that owns Union Carbide, for exemplary punishment for sheltering a fugitive from justice for the last 22 years.

“It is very likely that tomorrow, for the first time in the last 36 years, a foreign accused will appear in court to respond to criminal charges of the Bhopal Gas Disaster. This has been possible due to the support extended by 12 members of the US Congress in response to requests by our supporters in the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal.” Said Rashida Bee, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh.

Balkrishna Namdeo, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pensionbhogee Sangharsh Morcha said, “For the worst industrial disaster in history the CBI in 1987 charged Union Carbide with culpable homicide punishable by imprisonment of 10 years and fines. In February 1992 Union Carbide was declared a fugitive from justice by the Bhopal District Court. By taking over Union Carbide in 2001, Dow Chemical committed a crime punishable by 3 years of prison and fines under Section 212 of the IPC. Tomorrow they will make their first appearance after 7 summonses from the Bhopal Court in the last 18 years.”

“We know that the CBI affirms that as the “successor-in-interest” of Union Carbide, Dow Chemical is answerable to charges pending against Killer Carbide in the Bhopal District court. In fact the corporation appearing in the Bhopal Court tomorrow is also answerable to charges under Section 107 of the IPC for Abetment as they facilitated the sales of Union Carbide’s products in India even after the 1992 CJM’s order of attachment of its properties in India.” Said Nawab Khan of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha.

Nousheen Khan of the Children against Dow Carbide said, “In a way it is better that the authorized representative of Dow Chemical and not Union Carbide will be appearing tomorrow. Carbide has sold its assets in India but Dow Chemical holds substantial assets in this country. The crimes of Bhopal are that of Criminal negligence towards the lives and health of human beings for maximization of profits. In essence Bhopal symbolizes the corporate crimes of both industrial pollution and climate change. They are the leading causes of death and illness worldwide. The CBI must know that The Whole World Will be Watching the criminal case on the disaster from now on”

The appearance of The Dow Chemical Company (TDCC)-USA tomorrow at the Bhopal District Court is a long awaited consequence of the application filed by the Bhopal Group for Information & Action in February 2004 in the role of assisting the prosecution in the criminal case related to Bhopal Gas Disaster.

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