Victims of Bhopal gas tragedy appeal to US President Obama for justice

Bhopal: Survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy have appealed to US President Barack Obama to help bring guilty to book and secure justice for them.

"The US government is supporting the accused Union Carbide, who are hiding in America for the past 22 years. [Former Union Carbide CEO Warren] Anderson is dead but there are others who are guilty. We request President Obama to do justice," Shehzad Bi, one of the victims, said.

Meanwhile, social activist Satinath Sarangi said they have called upon President Obama and have requested him to make sure Union Carbide responds to its summons by the Bhopal district court.

"We have called upon President Obama and have requested him to make sure that Dow Chemicals responds to the summons by the Bhopal district court and appears in court on March 14. We have also asked Dow Chemicals to clean the contamination in the soil and ground water that is still spreading," he said.

On December 3, 1984, around 40 tons of methyl isocyanate gas accidentally leaked from a pesticide factory owned by US multinational Union Carbide Corporation, leading to the death of over 3,700 people, with thousands others injured. The tragedy is considered one of the world's worst industrial disasters.

President Obama will arrive in New Delhi on Sunday to take part in Republic Day celebrations on the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will be the first US President to attend the Republic Day celebrations as well as being the first to visit the country twice while in office.