People's Democracy

Travesty of Justice and Governance: CITU

IN a statement issued from New Delhi on June 7, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions has expressed its sense of shock after 26 years of the world’s biggest industrial disaster, claiming 25000 lives and leaving millions perpetually sick and wounded around the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, the verdict that has come, has made a mockery of the administrative and legal processes in the country. From the very beginning, the CITU noted, various institutions of the judiciary including the apex court have diluted the crime against the people of India, and of Bhopal in particular, committed by an American multinational. The CITU has noted that the government has miserably failed to book all those who were responsible for this mass murder. It said the latest judgement would encourage other corporates, both Indian and foreign, to ignore all safety norms in an otherwise accident prone industrial scenario of the country, as they can get away scot-free in the eventuality of a disaster like the Bhopal gas tragedy. The CITU has demanded stern action against all the culprits, including the erstwhile CMD of Union Carbide. It has further demanded that all the victims must be compensated adequately.

To the people of India the CITU has conveyed the idea that more of this type of accidents would take place if the government of India continued its strategic flirting with the US, as is evident from the Nuclear Liability Bill brought before the parliament to serve the interests of the US government and American nuclear manufactures. (INN)