No pressure from US on Anderson's exit: PC

New Delhi, Aug 13: Day after Arjun Singh the then Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh targeted at P V Narasimha for the exit of the former chairman of the Union Carbide Corporation, Warren Anderson, from India, an accused in the Bhopal gas disaster case, Home MinisterP Chidambaram said no pressure from US on Anderson leaving the country. He said this in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Aug 12.

Relying on Mr Arjun Singh's contention in the House, he said: “Safe passage to Anderson was indeed given, according to (M.K.) Rasgotra then Foreign Secretary and he was allowed to leave the country, according to Arjun Singhji. I am in no position to confirm or deny it."

He also responded the questions of the Opposition Arun Jaitley and members of the Left parties as to who was responsible for allowing Mr Anderson to leave the country.

“Neither the prime minister nor the chief minister knew about Mr. Anderson's exit," Mr. Jaitley had said in his speech.

CPI(M) member Sitaram Yechury expressed why records were not kept in archives.

Mr. Chidambaram said it was possible that the safe passage was “negotiated" by the US Embassy officials. “This can be described as pressure or duty on their part," he said.

“Beyond that I have no found evidence of any U.S. pressure in what has been done in the last 25 years. Why shift blame to the U.S. for our commissions and omissions?"

OneIndia News