That's all, your honour! :June 13-19

1. When inflation reached double digits in 2008, we were told that it was the effect of global problems and it will come down soon. It did. Infact it went into negative percentages in 2009, and that's when most of us were confused (read here for the doubts then!). Despite it going down to that levels, prices were never really in control. And then the inflation started increasing again, and it has again reached double digits, and now the Finance Minister says it is a "matter of concern" and the predicted good monsoon should stabilise the inflation. You see, this is all very confusing! If it is all about global factors, then why is the inflation swinging like a pendulum, instead of maintaining consistency (high or low)? How come food inflation is consistently at 17-19% over the last 2 years, and yet the overall inflation is swinging so much? If there is something we can do to control it rather than saying that it is a "matter of concern", then what exactly are we doing? Or like this editorial says, monsoons won't matter? All questions, answers very difficult to find! Sigh.

2. After more than 2 months, the Manipur Blockade has been partially lifted! One of the groups that have caused this blockade, the Naga Students Federation, has agreed to lift the seige following the Central Government's intervention. Another group, All Naga Students Association Manipur, is however still adamant on continuing it's blockade. The Central government has decided to send in trucks with essential items, and these trucks will be escorted by paramilitary forces. The problem though is not fully solved, because of the adamant stands taken by the warring groups. As always, who suffer? The common man/woman.

3. The Bhopal story is still dominating the headlines. The planning commission released Rs.982 crores to the Madhya Pradesh governement. It was first played out as if the Planning Commission went out of it's way to give this amount. It was then revealed that the state government asked for this amount in 2008 itself. Next is some revelations by the then Foriegn Secretary. The blame was tried to put on P.V.Narasimha Rao, the then Home Minister. In the meanwhile, the Group of Ministers headed by PC, have met multiple times this week, and are trying to increase the compensation to the victims. Plus also they wish to re-open the extradition case apparently. Let's wait for their finally recommendations, and then discuss more next week. And finally the national english Media has started talking about the climbdown on the compensation amount by the Rajiv Gandhi government in 1989!

4. And here's the yawwnn moment of the week. India submitted another dossier to Pakistan. This dossier contains replies to the six dossiers submitted by Pakistan to us. This has been submitted on the eve of the Foriegn Secretaries meet. Yep, that's right, they are going to meet. What they are going to talk is still suspense! That's all, your honour!

Follow-up of the previous post

A couple of follow-up links to the earlier blog on the Bhopal Tragedy.

1. The media (most of them, not NDTV) has been asking similar questions all this week. The Congress party has gone into a tizzy, tried to attack the opposition instead, and when they realised that the strategy is not working, came up with this gem - "It's for the Government, not for the party, to explain". This front page report in The Hindu gives us all details on how the party is very keen to prevent Rajiv Gandhi's name from getting tarnished. Plus it is also worried that Arjun Singh might speak out, if he is further isolated from the party. The Congress party's official response is that they want "all facts to emerge" and also that Rajiv Gandhi did no wrong. Guess we all know how the facts will look like now, huh? And finally the ball has now been very convieniently put in the Prime Minister's court.

2. The Congress however has support from NDTV. In this programme, Group Editor Barkha Dutt tells us that Rajiv Gandhi was a political novice at that time, and then by digging into the archives, they found a video where "Rajiv Gandhi took on Warren Anderson". Look at the video folks, from 28:27, for about a minute. Rajiv Gandhi's video is from 29:01. Please listen to it. Decide for yourself if "Rajiv Gandh took on Anderson". And assuming that the argument is bought, how does that explain his climbdown on the settlement amount?

3. Please read the second letter in today's "Letters to the Editor" column. It is the account of a survivor. Must read. Also, please read the last letter in this link - asks more pertinent questions. Another Must read.

PS: Breaking News: Shekhar Gupta says the NSG (National Security Guards) was the idea of Rajiv Gandhi!

Bhopal Case: Some ignored facts

You know, so much has been written about the Bhopal Gas Tragedy; so many news channels and websites have given us the chronology of all these events, that most of them will have them on our finger tips by now. And then the inevitable discussions on TV followed - has the "system" failed us? Have we become less "angry"? Do we care no more? etc etc blah blah.

Now, this set me thinking. We conviniently talk about the "system" without actually discussing how exactly it "failed" us. It failed us because the persons entrusted with the responsibility of making sure it doesn't fail us, failed us! Look at the chronology again:

1. The Indian government filed a law suit in an US court and claimed damages worth $3.3 billion, in 1985. In February 1989, the Indian Government reached an out of court settlement with Union Carbide for $470 million. That's right - about 14% of what they originally claimed. That's what the Indian Government, led by Rajiv Gandhi settled for. Union Carbide's share price went up after this settlement. So the Rajiv Gandhi government's decision not only put a cheap value to citizen's lives lost, but also ensured that the stakeholders in the tragedy become richer. No rationale was given for this utterly shameful climbdown by the Rajiv Gandhi government.

2. Arjun Singh was the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh when the disaster happened. He made sure that the Chief of Union Carbide was treated as a state guest when he was "released" on bail, was put on a state government flight and was flown to New Delhi. Apparently he got a call from someone, and he just obeyed the orders. As expected he will not talk about it. He left the country soon thereafter, never to return back. Ever again. He went on to become the Union Cabinet Minister for Human Resource Development in the early 90's and in the 2004-2009 UPA government. Just in case we forget, it was Arjun Singh who introduced the OBC reservations into IIT's and IIM's, and raised a furore in the country.

3. There is justifiable outrage at the quantum of sentence given to the accused. 2 years imprisonment, and released on bail by evening. Has anyone ever wondered why their sentence was so low? That's because the charges filed were of such nature. Now, who files the charges? The government (in this case the CBI). When were the charges filed? Take a look at the chronology again.

4. Now, when there are court cases, obviously you should have a lawyer. Do you know who the lawyer for Dow Chemicals, which took over Union Carbide in 2000, is? Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Do you want to know what his official position now is? He is the official spokesperson of the Congress party at the national level.

It is nobody's contention that Rajiv Gandhi and Arjun Singh were responsible for the tragedy. Their utter disregard to the memories of those dead and living is what is shocking beyond comparison. And then this complicity by the media hurts so much. The "system" didn't fail us. The then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi did. The then Chief Minister Arjun Singh did. Why mask their failures as the failure of a "system"? Why make it sound like the "system" has a mysterious head whom we don't know, and therefore are not taking any names?

The media will make sure we will never know it was Arjun Singh at the helm; that it was the Rajiv Gandhi who was the Prime Minister when the out of court settlement was reached. It might even brand you as some right-wing negative thinker whose only fantasy is to ask moronic questions. Facts are facts, and it is important that we know them at face value - hence this attempt to bring them to your notice.

Lest we forget people, the after-effects of the that disastrous leak are still being felt by people of that area. Children are still born with disabilities. About 6 lakh people were meagerly compensated in 2004.That disaster just didn't kill thousands of people then; 26 years on it is still killing people. Generations have been affected. And should such a disaster happen again, the Dr. Manmohan Singh led UPA government (and not the "system") is making sure the guilty will get away, just in a similar fashion, by seeking to introduce the Nuclear Liability bill.

Apologize for repeating this time and again - The "system" didn't fail us people, those at the helm of affairs did.

PS: Today's Indian Express had this filthy editorial on the tragedy - "The accident, after all, could have happened anywhere in this country." it seems. What next? "Terror attacks can happen anywhere"? "Riots can happen anywhere"?

25 years later...

Anti-Sikh Riots took place in 1984. 3000 Sikhs killed. Thousands of families orphaned.25 years later,still no one is punished. Victims still waiting for justice.

Gas leak in Union Carbide plant in Bhopal in 1984.Termed as the World's worst Industrial Disaster. 15,000 killed. Gas leak still affects lakhs of people. 25 years later, still no one is punished. Victims are still waiting for justice.

Prime Minsiter Indira Gandhi was shot dead by two gunmen in 1984. One died soon, and the other was hanged. Her son became Prime Minister of India. 25 years later, her daughter-in-law is super PM and her grandson is being touted as the future PM.

25 years from now, will the situation change?