The court verdict pronounced on the perpetrators of Bhopal Gas tragedy further weakens the faith of people on the system. The cases related to the tragedy remained stuck in the cobweb of legal tangles for nearly 23 years seeing the transfer of 19 judges in the process and when the verdict came out it was nothing more than tokenism. Seven ex-employees, including the former chairman of UCIL, were convicted in Bhopal of causing death by negligence and sentenced to two years imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 1,00,000/- each, in addition to a fine of Rs. 5,00,000/- on the Union Carbide India Ltd. (UCIL). This was the punishment for the loss of more than 15,000 lives due to gas leakage in Bhopal in 1984. While the CEO of UCIL, Warren Anderson has fled to US there was little effort in booking him. The people of India feel let down by judiciary, government and entire system and feel helpless when travesty of justice is made by the guardians of law and constitution. The victims and their families are now witness to the apathy of the government and entire system which has failed to show any sense of responsibility and refuses to be accountable.
The victims of the one of the worst industrial disasters which occurred due to criminal negligence on the part of UCIL resulting in leakage of poisonous gas on the night of Dec. 3, 1984 in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh could not get justice till date. The court verdict apart, the revelations that the main culprit Warren Anderson was helped to flee India by the then Central and State government exposes the inherent weakness of our political system which succumbs before US pressure. It is beyond ones understanding as to why our leaders are so weak and meek. How Anderson was allowed to leave India, who colluded with his act of fleeing the country and how could our politicians see him off as a state guest breaching all protocol in supplying him a state aircraft - these are the questions which further demoralizes the nation. Why can't our politicians stand up and raise the rightful points in securing the extradition of Anderson from US. Is it because of US pressure, corporate-politician nexus or both? Are judiciary and bureaucracy also works under the pressure of such nexus? The entire country seems to have transformed from a democratic republic to a mafidom hijacking the whole system. It seems there is no reprieve for the common man and their lives are available for cheap bargains.
While the questions related to Bhopal Gas tragedy is still ranting the air, the government is prepared to bring another legislation in the name of Civil Nuclear Liability Bill which will further loosen the grip of law over the companies liable for nuclear accidents. While there was no attempt to make stringent legal provisions in the face of Bhopal gas tragedy, new legislation in the wake of court verdict further shows that apathy which ruling classes have developed vis-à-vis common man. The court verdict and the unfolding of events leading to Anderson becoming an absconder was nothing less than Bhopal tragedy visiting again on the victims and their families who are fighting for justice for more than two decades.
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