Imagine knowing that the air you breathe will kill you, when you have no wish to die? What do you do then.. stop breathing? Imagine worse, the death will not come instantly, except for a few ( which under given circumstances will be a less severe punishment), but it will come as a slow painful death.. Imagine the people you look upon as your saviors, taking advantage of the pain to fill their pockets .. Imagine someone estimating the cost of life of your loved one at 25,000 rupees...
Bhopal gas tragedy, the worst in the world. Official figures state the number of deaths associated with it to be 15,000, actual figures say otherwise. What do you think should be the punishment for torcher and murder of 15000( let's say) people, innocent people... Can't imagine right? It is 2 years of imprisonment, 25 years after the tragedy took place. WOW.. one must say hats off to Indian Legal system.. People may counter saying all we do is blame the government and the system, but ask the people who have gone through hell in these past 25 years. Forget medical expenses, the judiciary is incapable of delivering a proper sentence to the murderers.
How does one prove their misery? How will one prove the misery over a dead loved one? How will one prove the misery over giving birth to a metally and physically disabled child? How does one prove the misery of lying on deathbed? This is what the victims are being asked to do.. to prove their misery to get a measly amount of 25k. 25k to assuage their pain of 25 years. What was considered to be a billion dollar setllement the Indian government settled for 470 million dollars for 1.8 lakh people. Actual figures 6 lakh people are affected. On calulation comes out to be 4000 rupees per person. Why did Indian governmet settled out of court? Why does the main accused never appeared once in court, despite a non bailable warrant being issued in his name?
How will these people ever believe in Indian Judiciary or the Indian government? The supreme court abandoned the criminal cas against union carbide in 1989.
The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), which was to investigate the long-term effects of the industrial disaster, stopped their studies within a decade. The victims are no longer treated as victims of gas exposure as there is no proof.
The question remains where do the people go for justice?
