The response of the two governments, American and Indian, towards an environmental disaster created by a multinational, could not be more different. While the Indian government has meekly turned the other cheek over the killing of thousands of its citizens in the Bhopal gas tragedy, the US government under President Barack Obama is ferociously looking out to “kick ass” over the Louisiana oil spill by BP. And Mr Obama has done so without bothering about the repercussions of BP’s plunging share price or the tensions it may cause for British business in the US.
In India the convenient explanation is that when the gas leak took place, Rajiv Gandhi was a new and untried Prime Minister, struggling with the 1984 riots and that Arjun Singh, the then Madhya Pradesh chief minister, was, perhaps, the real culprit who allowed the Union Carbide head honcho Warren Anderson to get away. It is shocking that after 25 years we are still discussing who should have been arrested on that fatal day. That is barely relevant any more. The emphasis, on the contrary, should be on total corporate responsibility, about compensating for the lives lost and injuries caused by the gas leak, and of the subsequent environmental fallout. The fact that Union Carbide is now a fully-owned subsidiary of Dow Chemicals has further allowed the government to delink the two on Indian soil.
In fact, on the Dow website it says clearly: “As a publicly owned corporation , Dow is unable, due to share price concerns, accept any responsibility for the Bhopal catastrophe caused by our fully-owned subsidiary, Union Carbide. As an individual, however, you can help as your conscience dictates”. How very convenient! The real issue, therefore, is not only about who pushed for the cover-up but who has reaped the profits from either Union Carbide or in its avatar as Dow Chemicals. Because when a government wants to protect its citizens, the balance sheet of companies should be the last thing on its mind.
A lesson must be learnt from the way Mr Obama is attacking BP without bothering about its falling share prices. This is despite the fact that the drop is causing a grave concern in the UK, especially since many UK pension funds have invested with BP. But for Mr Obama it is crucially important to sort out the mess as soon as possible. After the mishandling of Hurricane Katrina by the last government, he needs to be extra vigilant about the loss of life and environmental degradation. Commentators in the US are distancing themselves from BP, deliberately calling it British Petroleum and now doubts are being raised about the effect this may have on other British businesses in the US. But Mr Obama has been steadfast in his resolve — perhaps rightly focussed only on his own country and its people. He has been appalled, just like everyone else, that the oil giant had no safety provisions in place in case there was an underwater accident. Even though the death-toll is not high (compared to Bhopal), the environmental impact has been enormous, and Mr Obama has not hidden his frustration or his anger against the BP boss, Tony Hayward. While there may not be any arrests, there is no doubt that corporate responsibility will be firmly pinned and BP will be made to compensate heavily for this gigantic folly.
Sadly, in India, on the other hand, 25 years after the mishap, a group of ministers has been cobbled together, which is far too little, much too late. Where is the anger? How much more dishonesty will we have to put up with? We desperately need a Barack Obama to “kick ass”.

Meanwhile, let us, as always, move to more cheery subjects! The Labour Party leadership contest which was beginning to look like a competition between four frankly rather indistinguishable white men of a certain age, has suddenly been given a frisson of excitement with the entry of a black female rebel MP, Diane Abbott. While her chances of winning are very slim, Ms Abbott represents the diversity of Britain much more than any of the others. However, she did need a helping hand from one of the white men, as she would not have been able to even get the 33 nominations required to compete. It was the front runner and former foreign secretary David Miliband who threw her a lifeline. Mr David Miliband, a hot favourite with the bookies, already has an Ambani-like battle on his hands as his own younger brother, the ex-environment minister, Ed Miliband, is opposing him for the top job. If this was a Bollywood film (or the dispute between the Ambani brothers), the final decision would be taken at “amma’s” feet. But Mr David Miliband, while expressing his sympathy for his mother’s position, has clearly said that she will not take sides. However, for the rest of us, it’s three cheers for the entry of a brave woman into the leadership zone. Now if only Ms Abbott could manage to pull off a Margaret Thatcher! Highly unlikely, alas.

Female bonding is back, though, in a “Big” way (pardon the pun) with the return of Sex and the City 2 (SATC2). But the comeback has not been entirely cool. It has led to a deep and vicious rift between male and female film critics, with the latter dismissing all those male critics who have thoroughly trashed the film. Women columnists are coming out fighting in favour of the incorrigible mindlessness of SATC2 — and for a very good reason. The film (even if it is puerile, superficial and kitsch) is doing extremely well. Most women will see it with their best buddies to have a good laugh. Since the usual Hollywood films are designed to appeal to a macho taste of extreme violence (such as the currently running, highly controversial The Killer Inside Me), it is refreshing to see a “girlie” film, however politically incorrect it may be. SATC2 is no classic — with sexual innuendoes and over-the-top designerwear — but it also represents the kind of film we don’t see enough of. In a world dominated by the World Cup, here is a film about aging women with wrinkles and sagging breasts on the other side of 50 — not fighting with each other as Indian soaps depict them, but enjoying the company of their girl friends. The sight of Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte floating in their outrageous clothes across Morocco may be a ridiculous sight. But it is also, strangely, quite heart warming. So grab some pop corn and off we go, girls!

The writer can be contacted at kishwardesai@yahoo.com