Bhopal: Dead have their eyes open and the living have their eyes closed

An extremely disturbing photograph, showing the face of a child half buried after the Bhopal tragedy of 1984, is so effective because the dead child has its eyes open. 

The years 2009 , 2010 and 2011 in India have thrown up the macabre spectacle of systemic failure of not just our justice system, but our administrative complacency, political negligence and an overall state of societal dysfunction.  We have failed ourselves and nobody else.  We have proven that we only ask questions, but never answer.   

Towards the end of 2009, we realized that the Liberhan Commission took 19 years to complete its investigation on a matter that very closely represents the duality of our social fabric.  Close on its heels came the revelation that it took over 19 years for a young girl’s molester to be booked under our criminal justice system.  And we now have the first rung of justice delivered for one of the largest tragedies of our times(Bhopal Gas), after 25 years of its happening.  While the debate on the adequacy of the result of these investigations or delivery of justice is yet another matter to review, what is appalling is that as a nation, we just do not have any sense of time,  any sense of empathy for the aggrieved or any semblance of civilized outlook on human values that should normally address the suffering of fellow countrymen.

It is also very disheartening that we are witnessing the denigration of contemporary political leaders.  It was at first shocking to see that  N.D. Tiwari walking into disgrace.  Now we see the rank and file of political leadership including . Arjun Singh,  Zail Singh, PV Narasimha Rao and even  Rajiv Gandhi being mentioned as those who are part of the national shame of bestowing honour to the exit of the prime accused of Bhopal tragedy, from India.  

 We have seen how  Barrack Obama has repeated that the buck stops with him and he is responsible for solving the unfolding tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico.  On the other side of the globe in India, we are seeing how in the system, we do not see anyone who would stand up and own the responsibility.  We are witnessing a phenomenon in the nation where the political leadership tries to see itself above ‘accountability’, judiciary asserts that its role is limited, the media lives in the glory of ‘hindsight’ and the society just does not care.

The 9/11 investigations took one year to complete.  World War II investigations reached decision in two years.  The Hiroshima atomic bomb investigations were brought before the world in eleven months.  More than all, those who suffered in all these enormous tragedies began rebuilding their lives with the help of society, media, administration and political leadership within a span of two years.

We have reduced this nation to such a moral low that the dead have their eyes open and the living have their eyes closed.

V K Saxena
 President
 National Council for Civil Liberties ,
 Navrangpura, 
Ahmedabad - 380 009 Phone www.ncclindia.org e-mail: nccl27@hotmail.com