(I remember Prasanna, my sister's friend, who was then in Bhopal, coming down to Kerala a month after the tragedy with her new born baby, and with tears in her eyes told my mother "Aunty, if the wind had been blowing in the opposite direction that day, I would not have been here talking to you". So saying she held her child tightly to her bosom.The horror and shock on her face is still vivid in my memory. She was amongst the lucky ones who escaped death that fateful day)
And you get 'convicted' after 25 years.
One accused is already dead, another is 85 years old, yet another the big daddy of them all, Warren Anderson, absconded to US and government did not lift a finger to extradite him.
2 years in Jail plus a total fine of Rs 5 lakhs to be paid by Union Carbide!!!!!!!!. If you convert that to the Rupee value of 1984, it will work out to Rs 30,000!!!!
And this judgement is given by the lower court. The convicts can apply to the High Court where it will take another 10 years and finally in the Supreme Court, which is not likely to take up the case for 5 years.
And if you think that at least the culprits are behind the bars already, you are mistaken. They have been given bail immediately and are out on bail already, and hold your breath - for a surety of a paltry Rs 25,000. They did not stay in the jail for even one minute.
Is it any wonder, the International Community dont take India seriously?
What the heck! We ourselves can't take ourselves seriously.
There is a saying that 'Justice delayed is justice denied'
But this is not even Justice denied. This is 'Justice Murdered in broad daylight'
