Bhopal gas victims leave for Delhi protest

Five survivors of the leak of poisonous gases from US multinational Union Carbide on 2-3 December, 1984 have decided to fast without water demanding additional compensation for all affected people from November 10.

The five organizations leading the protest are also demanding revision of the figures of death and extent of injuries caused by the disaster in the Curative petition filed by the central government in the Supreme Court for additional compensation from Union Carbide and its current owner Dow Chemical.

Balkrishna Namdeo, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pensionbhogee Sangharsh Morcha said “We decided to take our protest to New Delhi after the betrayal of the Chief Minister. In December 2011 he had said that each of the affected persons deserved compensation of Rs. 5 lakhs  yet he has done nothing to ensure that we get what is our legal right. Instead he is helping the American corporations by downplaying the damage caused by the disaster in the Curative petition filed by the state government.”

Leaders of the other four organizations : Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, Children Against Dow Carbide and Bhopal Group for Information and Action also expressed their frustrations with the state government.

Safreen, who founded the organization of  children born after the disaster, said “The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister had promised us in writing that he would join our delegation for a meeting with the Prime Minister on the issue of compensation for the gas disaster. Today we don’t see him among those who are leaving for New Delhi for exactly that purpose.”