India must stand up to US pressure

Though India has made its stand clear on Dow Chemicals, the reported E-mail by US Deputy Nation Security Advisor to the planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia that India go slow on Dow Chemicals or handle the noise over the issue, otherwise it would have implications on investment relationship. It is nothing but US bullying tactics and its discriminatory behaviors towards Asian countries under the influence US Multi-National Corporations. India must stand to US bullying act and make it understand that India is the largest democracy of more than 1 billion people and emerging global economic power. India under any circumstances would establish relationship be being subservient.Neither it is dependent on US nor is it at its mercy. After the nuclear explosion in 1998, several western powers slapped sanctions against India and it faced them bodly and continued to go forward on the path of progress without any hindrance. How dared the rank of US Deputy National Security Advisor, the rank of minister state , emailed to the rank of Union Minister of India Deputy Planning Commission Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwaliamade filled with veiled threat of economic implications if it dealt with Dow Chemicals tough, which purchased Union Carbide Bhopal involed in one of the worst induatrial disasters the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. India must make its stand clear before the nation as well the world, including the US that it will act according to the law of its stand. Whoever whether it is US Multi- National Dow Chemicals on behalf of the Union Cabide Bhopal or any other persons or organisations would not be spared. India also made its stand clear on Dow Chemicals in the Lower House after news reports said that the government was facing pressure from the US to go soft on the US multinational. The reports had it that US Deputy National Security Advisor Micheal Froman sought to link US investment in India to the latter’s stand on Dow Chemicals. According to the Minister of State for Fertilisers and Chemicals, India has no plan to ban Dow Chemicals in the country while the due process of law will be followed in fixing civil and criminal liabilities of the firm in the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster. The tragic night on Dec 2-3, 1984, at least 3,500 people died instantly and many hundreds later after a deadly gas leaked from the Union Carbide’s pesticide plant in Bhopal. Union Carbide was subsequently acquired by Dow Chemicals. The government of India must seek expeditious fixation of Dow Chemicals’ liabilities in the disaster from the Jabalpur bench of the MP HC , which is hearing since 2004 a public interest lawsuit on the issue of environmental remediation of Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) plant site. The cruelty of the US is reflected in its action that when British Oil Giant BP spilled in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in the loss of lives and property and pollution, it straight made it to pay for compesation. But when its own Multi-National Corporation caused one of the worst industrial disaster, it pleads for it. India stand up to US bullying tactics and tell it the guilty will be sternlu punished, no matter it is US Multi-National or citizen.