Brinda Karat expresses displeasure over GoM study on Bhopal verdict

Patna, June 14 (ANI): The Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and Rajya Sabha member Brinda Karat on Monday expressed dissatisfaction with the Group of Ministers (GoM) probing the Bhopal gas tragedy case.

Karat, accused the Congress Party of connivance and said that an independent and comprehensive inquiry was required in such a sensitive issue.

"We are not satisfied with the GoM. You require an independent probe into the connivance of different levels of Indian institutions with the criminals of the Union Carbide Corporation in America and India on Bhopal," Karat said.

Karat was addressing a rally organised by the All India Agricultural Workers Union.

She demanded the extradition of prime accused Warren Anderson, the then chairman of the Union Carbide Company.

Karat also asked the Union Government to scrap the controversial Nuclear Liability Bill, saying the Bill would lead for creation of more Anderson's.

As per the present draft of the Nuclear Liability Bill, it would limit the liabilities of foreign firms entering India's lucrative civilian nuclear market in case of any mishap.

"We have asked them to implement procedures for the extradition of Anderson. An appeal should be filed to increase the sentence and the main question, the verdict, they should appeal against this verdict," Karat said.

"Nuclear Liability Bill which the government wants to implement, the government should take it back otherwise it will give rise to more Warren Andersons," Karat added.

Earlier this month, a local court in Bhopal sentenced seven accused to a jail term of two years and a fine of rupees 100,000 each for negligence that resulted in the leakage of toxic gas at the Union Carbide plant at Bhopal in 1984, claiming around 3,500 lives.

Soon after the judgment, which came following a litigation lasting nearly 25 years, the extradition of Anderson, then chairman of Union Carbide, and the circumstances in which he fled India simmered into a political potboiler.

Meanwhile, Karat also slammed the government over its inability to control price rise and termed government considering to yet again increase the prices of fuel as shameful.

"Two months ago the Prime Minister had said during the meeting of chief ministers that the worst is over as far as price rise is concerned. But we are seeing that the worst I think is yet to come because over 16 percent relentless price hike in food inflation and that is also the price hike which is most affecting the people," she said.

"In such a situation for the government to once again contemplate increasing the prices of fuel again, its just shameful," Karat added. (ANI)