New Delhi, April 14
Bollywood star Aamir Khan along with his two “Rang De Basanti” co-stars today sat at the Jantar Mantar to express solidarity with Bhopal Gas tragedy survivors and Narmada Bachao Andolan activists and “awaken the middle class” about the two environment and
human rights-related issues.
Activists at the two protest venues were euphoric at Aamir’s arrival along with co-actors Atul Kulkarni and Kunal Kapoor and film director Rakeysh Mehra to the venue and extending their support to their causes.
Promising support to the two causes, Aamir even appealed to the Prime Minister to give the two issues his attention.
Unlike in the film, where Aamir resorted to violent approach to register his protest, he today sat with protesters for a peaceful dharna for around two hours even as chaos raged all around him.
His presence managed to create a stampede-like situation at the protest venue, with camera crews and common people jostling each other to catch a glimpse of the star.
Amidst the chaos, the star managed to ask issue-based questions from activists.
Rashida Bi, whose name is now synonymous with the Bhopal struggle, said Aamir was quite concerned to know how much relief the victims had managed to get and whether Dow Chemical, the parent company of the UCC, was still in business in India.
Aamir answered mediapersons queries on his support to the two causes and the violent approach of solving problems in his latest film.
He expressed concern at the raising of the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam in the Narmada valley and the environmental mess created by the UCC at Bhopal.
PTI adds: Meanwhile, the fast by a group of survivors of 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, demanding comprehensive economic and medical rehabilitation, entered fourth day today. Though the six persons on fast were in a “decent shape”, a spokesperson for the protesters said they have been losing weight and the going was tough.
The six protesters, including three survivors, who were part of the 46-member group that undertook 800-km-long Bhopal-Delhi “padyatra” that reached here on March 27, began fast on Tuesday.
— PTI
