By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: 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.
Bhopal gas tragedy survivors lying down covered in shrouds
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.
One of the Bhopal gas survivors being arrested by police
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.
Die-in by covering themselves with shrouds at Indian Prime Minister’s house in New Delhi on Monday being arrested by police
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. ([email protected])