By TCN News,
Bhopal: More than 100 survivors of the December 84 Union Carbide disaster staged a rally from Alpana Talkies to Shahajahani Park on Wednesday, for their long standing demands of additional compensation, punishment of guilty individuals and corporations.
Five organisations of survivors jointly resolved that in the upcoming elections of state and central government, that in the upcoming national and state elections they will only vote for political parties who help them secure justice.
Houses in gas affected areas have painted slogans “Compensation First, Then Vote” on their walls. “This time we will tell representatives of political parties visiting our communities that if they want us to vote they must first secure additional compensation which is our right”, says Kalishi Sharma from Patel Nagar.
Since the launch of the “No Justice No Vote” campaign in May, this is the sixth rally of the survivors demanding that political parties take active steps on the lingering issues of compensation, punishment of guilty, medical and social rehabilitation.
In March this year, the five organization wrote letters to a dozen political parties seeking their support to their demands on additional compensation, correction of figures of injury and death, clean up of contaminated soil and ground water, compensation for injuries and birth defects caused by toxic contamination and setting up empowered commission for rehabilitation.
The organizations also sought the support of political parties in stopping Dow Chemical, 100% owner of Union Carbide, from doing business in India till it presents the absconding corporation in the ongoing criminal case. Except the Aam Aadmi, none have bothered to respond to the demands of Bhopal gas survivors.