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The
TATA Tea Party
by Bhola
When UK and US citizens train their replacements from India, they usually
train Tata employees just prior to being terminated from their jobs. It’s
been said that Tata commands and dominates America’s H-1B and L-1 visa programs
by managing most of India’s H-1B and L-1 visa card holders while they work
in the US. These people are actually Tata employees who are “contracted
out” to US clients.
"Pissing dog"
leads the boycott as shopkeepers throw out stocks of Tata tea!
by Bhola
The dog pissed, Tata started whining
Bhopal survivors demonstrate against Tata's attempt
to help Dow evade its liabilities: renew call for boycott of Tata salt and tea
The leaders of the organisations said that Ratan
Tata should first clean up the environmental damage caused by Tata group of
companies in Sukhinda, Orissa, Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, Mithapur, Gujarat,
Jamshedpur, and West Bokaro in Jharkhand and other places in the country before
attempting to clean up Bhopal.
According to Chemweek
Chemweek, January 18, 2007
"Bhopal - Organizations working for the survivors of the December
1984 Union Carbide gas leak in Bhopal strongly condemned the offer by the
Tata Group, which also owns Tata Chemicals (Mumbai), to lead an effort to
pay for the clean up Union Carbide's toxic waste in Bhopal as a way to clear
the path for Dow Chemical investments in India. The organizations emphasized
that Dow took over the environmental liabilities of Bhopal when it became
the 100% owner of Union Carbide in 2001, and they believe that Dow must
pay for the clean up in Bhopal. The organizations have appealed to Bhopal
survivors to boycott Tata's products as a mark of protest, and will soon
launch a similar national boycott campaign." |
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I hope Ratan Tata reads bhopal.net, for these pictures will tell him exactly
what the locals think of his move to let Dow Chemical off the Bhopal hook.
Tata stands to make billions of dollars out of joint ventures with Dow
- but Dow is uneasy about investing in India while the Bhopal mess remains unresolved
- it is not impossible that all Dow's Indian assets may be seized to pay for
the clean up of the foul mess left by its subsidiary Union Carbide.
Dow says it is being unfairly blamed for the continuing pollution, but nobody
asked it to buy Union Carbide, thereby acquiring that company's liabilities
as well as its assets. Probably Dow thought that as Carbide had got away with
thumbing its nose at Indian authority, and given the notorious corruption in
Indian politics, it would have no problems. It climbed onto the hook of Bhopal
all by itself and now it cannot get off.
Enter Ratan Tata with the brilliant idea of setting up
a general fund to clean the Bhopal factory. Dow could make a contribution, reap
the PR benefits and claim that it had done its bit. Tata is amazed that the
Bhopalis aren't licking his boots in gratitude.
The people in the pictures below are the same people who walked 500 miles to
Delhi to ask the government to make Dow clean up the factory. They want a proper
clean-up, to the highest international standards. They also want proper medical
care for those made ill by the poisoned water. A recent study by the Chingari
Trust revealed extraordinarily high incidence of birth defects and brain damage
in the affected communities. The survivors want research into the long term
effects of the mass poisoning and commensurate medical provision for as long
as it is needed. They want a rehabilitation scheme for those left unable to
work, and lastly they want fair compensation.
Tata's proposal addresses none of these points. It does
not acknowledge the survivors' own voice in the matter. It's malik talking to
malik as usual, not realising that the world has changed. The Bhopalis say to
Tata, first clean up your own messes, undo the damage you have done in the Gulf
of Kutch, Mithapur in Gujarat, Patancheru in Andhra, Jamshedpur and Bokaro River
in Jharkhand, Sukinda in Orissa and many other places.
Tata's ploy is the latest in a long line of failed attempts
to prevent the Bhopal survivors from getting justice.
We piss on it.
January 11, 2007
Gas Survivors hold protest at Tata Indicom office
Hindustan Times, Bhopal, January 10, 2007
"More than 200 survivors of the gas disaster on Wednesday held a demonstration
at the local corporate office of Tata Indicom to protest against chairman,
Tata Group, Ratan Tata's reported offer to clean up Union Carbide's Bhopal
plant on behalf of Dow Chemicals.
Describing Ratan Tata's offer as an attempt to clear the path for Dow-Union
Carbide's investment plans in India, leaders of the gas victims accused
Ratan Tata of causing damage to people and environment of India by facilitating
the expansion of American multinational Dow Chemicals in the country
They emphasized that as 100% owner of Union Carbide, Dow Chemical USA is
liable for the environmental and health damages in Bhopal. They said that
according to the "polluter pays principle" which is valid both
in USA and India Dow/Union Carbide must pay for the clean up in Bhopal.
They charged Ratan Tata with helping Dow Chemical escape the liabilities
of the ongoing disaster in Bhopal.
They accussed Ratan Tata of helping Dow Chemicals escape the liabilities
of the ongoing disaster in Bhopal.
Leaders of the NGOs said Ratan Tata should first clean up the environmental
damage caused by Tata group of companies in Sukhinda, Orissa, Patancheru,
Andhra Pradesh, Mithapur, Gujarat, Jamshedpur, and West Bokaro in Jharkhand
and other places in the country before attempting to clean up Bhopal.
The demonstration was organised by a group of four NGOs including Bhopal
Gas Peedit Mahila Stationary Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila
Purush Sangharsh Morcha, Bhopal Ki Aawaaz, and Bhopal Group for Information
& Action" |
VIDEO
OF THE PROTEST AGAINST TATA INDICOM OFFICES
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