The recent court verdict on the Bhopal gas tragedy delivered after 26 years is a classic story of how India as a nation succumbs to the mighty corporate power of the Multi National corporations. The tragic episode also reveals the double standards of the United States government and the multi national corporation’s .The Indian government, judiciary, political system, large sections of civil society    could only further the interests of the MNC’s at the cost of the poor victims of the horrifying gas tragedy.

The Bhopal gas tragedy has been described as the world’s largest industrial disaster. The actual estimates suggest that at least 20,000 people died due to the leakage of highly poisonous Methyl Iso Cyanate gas leaked from the fertilizer unit of Union Carbide, the subsidiary of US based MNC. About 40,000 kgs of this deadly gas leak causing perennial injuries to nearly six lakh people.  Even today, around 6000 people go to hospital everyday. The US and the MNCs and their supporters often describe this as industrial accident .But, this is certainly not an accident. It was designed for a disaster. The safety norms were ignored. .The precautions were not taken.  The media reports of possible danger were ignored. Even the smaller leaks were pushed under the carpet. The company in a bid to cut costs was indulging in measures that had under mined the safety of the plant. All this was in full knowledge of the MNC management in the United States. Therefore, the Bhopal was not an accident.

But, the Supreme Court diluted the case by altering the charge from culpable homicide to criminal negligence.  The culpable homicide   attracts ten year punishment while criminal negligence invites only two year imprisonment. .This is the travesty of justice. .After 26 years, the accused got only two year imprisonment and was immediately released on bail. Not a single American was punished. The CEO of the MNC, who is the prime accused is still not punished. The United States even now rejects any request for extraditing Warren Anderson, the CEO of the MNC. He was declared as a proclaimed   obscandor. The Indian government and the United States claim that Anderson is not found though the TV channels show us the house of this prime accused in the affluent suburbs of New York. The US government can not find someone who is very much living in the country under full media glare. But is involved in an incessant war in Afghanistan to locate Bin Laden and Mullah Omar.  The US double standards in this regard are very clear.

Infact, Anderson came to India few days after the tragedy. He was arrested at the Bhopal Airport. But, he was escorted to the company guest house. He was released on bail within two hours. Then he was taken in the government car to the Airport. He was taken back to Delhi in Madhya Pradesh state government aircraft. The state government aircraft can not be provided unless there is an explicit order from the state chief minister.  He happily went  to United States .Now, the ruling congress party is busy in defending the dubious role of the then chief minister Arjun Singh and the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.  It is shocking to note that the congress government has now appointed Group of Ministers GOM to look into the matter and submit a report in ten days. The judicial system took 26 long years to deliver too little punishment after too long time.  The government was in a deep slumber all these years. Not just, the congress, the BJP led NDA government and the United Front governments were  Luke warm in their response  and did precious little to get Anderson extradited. The then CBI official even publicly stated now that the premier investigating agency got written instructions from the ministry of External Affairs to go slow on the efforts to get Anderson extradited.

The political system simply crawled before the   MNC to protect the corporate chief. The victims of the Bhopal Gas tragedy got on an average compensation of a meager Rs. 12,000   per individual. This is less than what US president demanding for marine life due to oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. The lives of Indians are not worth even the marine life.

Not withstanding the travesty of justice in Bhopal, the central government is moving heaven and Earth to enact the civil nuclear liability bill. This bill is aimed at ensuring that the foreign equipment suppliers   do not have any liability if a nuclear accident occurs. The U S companies want full protection from any liability as they are all set to export nuclear equipment worth billions of dollars. The central government in an unabashed manner is determined to harm the interests of Indian people to protect the profits of US companies. The civil nuclear liability bill should be dropped immediately at the back drop of the experience of Bhopal verdict. Otherwise, the victims of nuclear accidents cannot even file cases and get even this negligible compensation.

For more reading