On December 4, 2004, Delhi Committee of Party held a demonstration at Jantar Mantar (Delhi) demanding that the CPM backed Central Government should confiscate all assets of Dow Chemicals/ Union Carbide in India. It was also demanded that American Government should be exposed and pressurised on all international fora and Anderson’s extradition be ensured.

In a well-attended demonstration, speakers from the Party, from Naujawan Bharat Sabha, Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan and Janhastakshep raised several aspects of the Bhopal Gas tragedy of 20 years ago. In what till today remains the biggest industrial disaster in the world, the CEO of the MNC involved has gone scot-free. In this the prime guilty are the Congress governments of 1984 both at the Centre and at the state, the Supreme Court and all successive Central governments till date. No justice is there for the 3000 immediate dead and subsequent over 20,000 dead (till 1992) of Bhopal.

In fact, the entire question has been reduced to financial settlements. Speakers said that while all claims have been settled for a pittance, Union Carbide retained all assets. In 2001, it safely merged with Dow Chemicals. Dow is minting profits and now has $33 billion annual sales in India.

The major question which speakers dealt with is the political aspect that allows this tragedy to potentially happen again and again on Indian soil, because of the attitude of our ruling classes vis-à-vis MNCs. Today all sections of ruling class are one on pro-imperialist policies. What protection can people have when governments themselves are not only apologists of, but also connivers with the killer companies? They leave them free to loot and kill people with impunity in their drive for super-profits. Freeing India from the stranglehold of these apologists of imperialism will be possible only through New Democratic Revolution. The speakers also pointed out that calls of boycott of products of any MNC are of limited utility since every citizen perceives that actually it is our country’s governments and administrations that allow them a free run.

Speakers exposed the CPI, CPM who on the one hand demand justice for Bhopal victims and on the other hand are propping up the same Congress Government at the Centre. They should force the government to confiscate all assets of Dow Chemicals, ensure extradition of Anderson and reopening of criminal proceedings against him.