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Bhopal Gas
Tragedy Survivors - Including Children As Young As 6 - Beaten Up In
Police Station
Bhopal, June 10 (Pervez Bari): Plainclothes policemen and women and
some uniformed police beat up 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy survivors and
their children inside the Parliament street police station in New
Delhi on Monday evening.
Sixteen-year-old Imran was belted by policemen, including Yad Ram, a
uniformed policeman from the Parliament Street police station. The
belting has hurt his eye, and he was taken to hospital. Other
policepersons whose names are known include Suraj Bhan, Mallik (a
tall, big-set cop), Mahendra (in plainclothes), and the gun-toting Yad
Ram.
Twenty-seven-year-old Vikas was set upon by 13 policemen. Irshad, 20,
was also beaten up badly. The police did not spare the kids. The
youngest "padayatri" (foot-marcher), 11-year-old Yasmin, 6-year-old
Naghma and 24-year-old Meera More were also beaten by the police when
they tried to prevent the police from dragging Rachna Dhingra, a "padayatri",
into the lock-up. Seeing the girls come in aid of Rachna,
plainclothesman Mahendra Singh screamed: "In Kaaliyon ke kapde fado."
(Tear the clothes off these blackies). All the while, the older women
were forced into police lock-up.
Since the time that they were picked up from the Prime Minister's
Office, (PMO), for demonstrating in a high-security area, senior
police officials have talked tough. Callers who spoke to Nand Mohan,
Deputy Commissioner of Police, informed that the top cop reportedly
said the Bhopalis will have to face the consequences this time. The
Prime Minister's silence on the matter of demands has prompted the
Bhopalis to protest in front of his house two times.
Muthukumaran, Director of Public Relations, PMO, did not know that
Bhopalis were being beaten up at the Parliament street police station
for a mistake of his boss, the Prime Minister. However, when intimated
about it, he said: "I have heard about it. It is shameful. I have
informed the authorities, and we'll see what can be done."
This is not a matter about a few angry policemen. The policemen had
nothing to be angry about the Bhopalis. The rot spreads far higher.
Meanwhile, it may be mentioned here that 36 survivors of the 1984
Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal and victims of water contamination,
including 13 children and 20 women, were arrested on Monday at 3.45
p.m. (IST) in New Delhi after they staged a die-in in front of the
Indian Prime Minister's Office in South Block.
The survivors, who arrived in New Delhi walking all the way from
Bhopal, took the security guards by surprise, and staged a silent but
visual protest, where the women and children lay along the entrance to
Gate No. 5 that leads to the Prime Minister's Office, with shrouds
covering their bodies.
According to a Press release 40 survivors staged a die-in outside the
PMO in South Block on Monday. The protestors demanded that the Indian
government commit to empowering the Commission on Bhopal for long term
rehabilitation of the Bhopal victims and take appropriate legal
actions against Union Carbide and Dow Chemical.
The three organizations of Bhopal survivors leading the 111 days long
campaign including today’s die-in announced the launching of a global
hunger strike from tomorrow with participation from more than 18
countries. Nine survivors and their supporters will begin their
indefinite fast tomorrow from 12 noon at Jantar Mantar and will be
joined by Booker shortlisted author Indra Sinha who will begin "at
least a weeklong fast" from France. The organizations had informed the
Prime Minister of their decision to go on an indefinite fast on June
2.
The decision to undertake a hunger strike was taken after tiring of
waiting for a response from the PMO regarding their demands, the
organizations said. A statement partially conceding to the demands
issued by the Minister of State for PMO Chavan last month made no
mention of the powers, funds and the number of years the Commission on
Bhopal will function and was silent on the issue of legal action
against Union Carbide and Dow Chemical. (pervezbari@eth.net)
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