[IndyMedia Bombay] for posting on the web site

[satinath sarangi]

the indian government, through the central bureau of
investigation [cbi]prosecution in the criminal case
against union carbide and others [re. the december '84
disaster in bhopal], has filed an application before
the chief judicial magistrate [cjm] on may 24, 2002
seeking dilution of charges against warren anderson
and union carbide corporation.
the main change cbi has asked for is that the charge
of manslaughter [section 304 (part 2) of the indian
penal code (ipc)] be changed to death due to
negligence [section 304(a) of the ipc]as in motor
vehicle accidents. if this is allowed it will mean
that anderson and authorized reps of ucc will not be
judicially required to be extradited from the usa.
Central Chronicle, Bhopal, May      31, 2002

Gas victims hold demonstration, denounce Govt  

Bhopal gas victims were forced to come out on the
streets condemning the BJP led coalition government
for diluting the charges against the then chairman of
Union Carbide Corporation Warren M Anderson for the
"Bhopal massacre".

Carrying placards  and shouting slogans both against
the Central Bureau of Investigations and Warren
Anderson, they also burnt their effigies.

It may be recalled that the CBI who had filed a
criminal case against the UCC, UCIL, UCC Eastern, Hong
Kong and others had recently submitted an application
before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bhopal Rameshwar
Kothe pleading for a change in the charges.

Earlier, the CBI had filed a case under section
304[2], 324, 326, 429 and 35. Now with the fresh
application, the CBI wanted that Anderson and other
accused in the case should be prosecuted under
sections 304[A], 336, 337, 338 and 35.

The gas victims charged that it would dilute the case
since under section 304[2], the imprisonment would be
for 10 years and under fresh charges, the imprisonment
would be for only two years.

The demonstrators charged that at first then Prime
Minister Rajiv Gandhi had sold out the interest of the
Bhopal victims by reaching an out of court settlement
with UCC for the Bhopal disaster and now the BJP led
government had decided to dilute the case. They said
that it was strange that at the time of out of court
settlement, the BJP had raised hue and cry and now it
was itself allowing the UCC and its former chief to go
scot-free.

The demonstrators led by Gas Peedit Nirashrit Morcha,
Bhopal convenor Balkrishna Namdeo also raised slogans
against the CBI demanding extradition of Warren
Anderson.

Addressing the gas victims, Namdeo said that it seems
that the main intention of the central government was
not to ensure punishment to the main accused of the
Bhopal gas leak disaster, but to protect the
criminals. He and other leaders also demanded a high
level probe into the recent decision of the central
government to ask CBI to dilute the case.
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