Senior Congress leader Arjun Singh on Wednesday put the ball in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s court over Union Carbide Chief Warren Anderson. He suggested that the PM take up compensation and extradition of Anderson with US President Barack Obama during his visit to India in November.
Mr Singh’s clarification on the Bhopal gas disaster in 1984 has virtually put the Congress in a quandary and strengthened the Opposition’s arguments.
Mr Singh broke his silence on this issue in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday evening, but this has not delighted his own party leaders.
A Congress Union minister felt there was no need for Mr Singh’s “clarification”. His “tricky defence” has provided enough fuel to the Opposition leaders. Now, it will be the headache for the external affairs ministry.
Mr Singh’s revelation of informing the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi immediately after the arrest of Anderson on December 6, 1984, contradicts the Congress’ argument that the late Prime Minister was unaware of Anderson’s arrival, pointed out a CPI(M) MP.
“We will raise this issue in Parliament,” the leader said shortly after Mr Singh’s speeech in the Upper House.
Another opposition leader viewed that Mr Singh’s speech was like an approver’s statement in court. “He defended Rajiv Gandhi and accused P.V. Narasimha Rao for the exit of Anderson,” said the leader.
“There had been persistent calls for granting bail to Anderson from the home ministry in Delhi. I told him (Madhya Pradesh chief secretary) that he can do whatever he likes, but the arrest be duly recorded so that we can summon him whenever we want,” said Mr Singh. But this has not convinced MPs as they felt this is a candid admission that the Congress government at the Centre at that time wanted to save Anderson. “Can the home ministry act on its own in such cases,” they asked. Mr Singh said it was “incongruous that Anderson took a state plane to leave Bhopal” but did not go into details, saying he did “not want to enlarge on these things as it would add grief and bitterness”.
The Congress party and the Centre has not reacted on Mr Singh’s revelation, especially squarely helding the home ministry responsible for the exit of Anderson.