Survivors slam BJP for denial of justice on Bhopal Gas tragedy day
Bhopal: On the 41st anniversary of the Bhopal gas tragedy, four organisations representing survivors accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of prolonging their suffering and denying justice, a charge rejected by the party.
According to Kashmir Media Service, at least 5,479 people died and thousands were maimed after highly toxic industrial chemical methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from Union Carbide’s pesticide plant in Bhopal on December 2–3, 1984, in one of the world’s worst industrial disasters.
At a press briefing, the groups released a “Bhopal Survivors’ Chargesheet against the BJP,” alleging that the party has consistently protected US corporations like Union Carbide and its successor Dow Chemical, prioritising corporate interests over survivors’ welfare.
Rashida Bee of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh said the BJP “betrayed survivors like no other party,” citing legal opinions absolving Dow Chemical of environmental liabilities.
Balkrishna Namdeo noted that attempts by then-Union Home Minister LK Advani in 2002 to dilute charges against Union Carbide CEO Warren Anderson were blocked only due to judicial intervention.
Rachna Dhingra of the Bhopal Group for Information & Action alleged that rehabilitation efforts worsened under BJP rule, with a long-demanded Empowered Commission on Bhopal being blocked by then-CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan in 2008. Nawab Khan highlighted that Dow Chemical continues to expand its business in India despite legal restrictions.
The Madhya Pradesh BJP dismissed the claims, with state spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi asserting that the government has always prioritised survivors’ judicial, medical, and other needs. KMS-6R
