of external affairs, reminding of his meetings with Hansaraj Bhardvaj, minister of Law and Justice on behalf of U. C. C., and of the brief meeting held with S. Singh in August 1986 with MS Mabel Rebello of Bhopal and subsequently that he discussed the problem of Bhopal‘ tragedy’ victims with many political leaders and government officials in India, and also discussed with top management U. C. C. and observers there; informing that he would be available in Delhi for 3 weeks from December 8, 1986, proposing to mediate in the issue, if he is contacted at two specified phone numbers.
Thus the mediators hired and sponsored by U. C. C. were in active advocacy of the visitors of U. C. C, the culprit.
Even Eagle Busher, former undersecretary of state of USA, who was then working for Dr. Kisinger had contacted P. M. Rajiv Gandhi on behalf of U. C. C., through L. K. Jha, advisor for P. M. Rajiv Gandhi and made that advisor to parroting on behalf of U. C. C, that“ Mr. Warren Anderson is anxious for as generous a settlement as possible on an amicable settlement.”( Letter from L. K. Jha dated December 15, 1985).
But, however in practice it is proved that the U. C. C. was not interested in a generous settlement of compensation to the victims as has been propagated. It is proved that the objective of U. C. C was“ to safe guard its high stakes at any cost, and the future of all pesticides / herbicide / pharmaceuticals multi-nationals who are covertly behind Union Carbide in this matter. Their manipulations / actual working need to be closely monitored”, as has been warned by one Ajit
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Hutheesing, Rajiv Gandhi’ s green which based uncle”.
U. C. C fought tooth and nail to lessen the amount of payment of compensation to victims. In 1988, the U. C. C was allowed to be totally bailed out from its responsibility with an out-of-court settlement with a payment of paltry amount of $ 470 million to Indian government against the‘ grand claim’ of the Indian government for more than $ 3.1 billion at a Bhopal court through the initial demand of the government was for $ 1.5 billion.
Initially the Indian government claimed damages to a tune of $ 1.5 billion before a U. S. court. But after dealing with the U. S judge concerned with the case, it reduced its claim to $ 500 million. But the Indian government sued UCC for more than $ 3.1 billion in a Bhopal court which was of no consequence; merely to hoodwink the people of India and make believe them as if it was fighting for justice.
The treatment of the Indian government, rulers and the rulingclasses of India towards the treacherous, inhuman and culpable corporate criminal U. C. C is highly deplorable. No independent, sovereign rulers and governments with even an iota of patriotism will act in such a shameful way.
Within 3 days of the occurrence of the Bhopal gas disaster, the culprit, Warren Anderson, the chairman of the U. C. C. who is responsible for the disaster was allowed to escape from India, facilitating him to abscond with royal treatment and facilities. No sincere efforts whatever were made to punish the U. C. C corporate criminal before the Indian courts or elsewhere by the then Congress party government of Rajiv Gandhi in power or the successive governments of other ruling parties in power. Knowing full well of the machinations adopted by the criminal UCC and its culpability, the Indian governments and rulers have cringed before UCC and craved for some sort of a settlement with it, exclusively to appease the anger of Indian people against the monstrosity of UCC.
Even almost after 6 months of the disaster, the government failed to come to the rescue of the victims. It did not provide satisfactory relief or medical treatment or facilities for the treatment of the poisonous gas affected victims.
The governments( central and state) could not prepare even a full list of affected persons. Compensation has not been paid to all the families of persons who were killed by the poisonous gas. Persons who were disabled or incapacitated were not fully treated and recovered. Right drug was not administrated to victims, despite finding it to be STS. The governments did a little to rehabilitate the victims. In fact the governments were insensitive to the suffering victims. The callous attitude of the governments towards the victims or the devastation caused by the disaster was unprecedented even surpassing the gravity of callousness of Emperor Nero!
On the other hand the central and state governments chose to win over a substantial section of public opinion to the side of the rulers and ruling party in power, to promote Rajiv Gandhi’ s role in finding a‘ solution’. They also made efforts to deflect public attention to
Class Struggle