Some 35 infants were arrested on the afternoon of March 28, 2006. They were part of the 200 strong delegation from Bhopal arrested and taken to the Parliament Street Police Station a mere 45 minutes before it was scheduled to visit the Shastri Bhavan offices of the Ministry of Chemicals.  Detained without charge and released the next day, their treatment raises important questions about the Indian government’s response to the victims and survivors of the world's worst industrial tragedy.

Earlier, continuing their 21 year long quest for justice, the Bhopalis commenced a padyatra on February 21 this year, resolving to walk 800 kilometers to Delhi to highlight their straightforward set of demands.

1. Set up a National Commission on Bhopal

2. Provide safe drinking water

3. Prosecute Union Carbide and the CEO, Warren Anderson

4. Make Dow clean up and pay

5. Blacklist Dow and Union Carbide

6. Remember Bhopal

On the 25th of March, the Bhopalis finally reached Delhi, their numbers down to 46 from the original 130 who had started. (Many other reached by rail and road.)Hundreds of Delhiites including representatives from trade unions, students, and members of non-government and mass organizations welcomed the guests from Bhopal. After the 34-day odyssey that won them many hearts along the way, the Bhopalis were hopeful that the Central government, and particularly the Prime Minister, would pay attention after 21 years of failed promises.

But detentions, stalling and hand-wringing by the government have belied these hopes. Perhaps the Bhopal survivors should have been forewarned. Even as they walked through the towns and villages of rural India with their message, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh personally invited the CEO of Dow Chemicals, Andrew Liveris, to set up two petro-complexes in India. But the Bhopalis had the support of ordinary citizens. Heeding Martin Luther King’s reminder that, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” some 10,000 people signed petitions of support, more than 1200 sent faxes to the central government, and countless others sent emails and made phone calls in solidarity with the Bhopalis.

All this support did not find fruit in state action till phone calls to the Prime Minister’s Office, Commissioner of Police and the Ministry of Chemicals finally resulted in an apology and a meeting with the Minister of Chemicals. The Minister promptly promised follow-up actions on each of the six demands.

The indomitable Bhopalis have resolved not to leave Delhi till the Honorable Minister makes good on his promise. Perhaps they are inspired by Dr. King’s reminder that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”

Resources:

http://bhopal.net/march/ • http://bhopal.aidindia.org/ • http://www.studentsforbhopal.org

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Tarun Jain is a student at the University of Virginia and an AID volunteer.