M A I N   N E W S

Fresh request possible for Anderson’s extradition
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 9
The UPA government at the Centre, at the receiving end of widespread criticism for mishandling the trial of the Bhopal gas tragedy, on Wednesday scrambled for cover and announced a slew of steps at damage control.

The Government reconstituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) to be headed by Home Minister P Chidambaram to go into a range of issues related to the industrial disaster. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) indicated that efforts could again be renewed for the extradition of the then Union Carbide chief executive Warren Anderson while the Law ministry let out plans to frame a new, more stringent law to deal with industrial disasters.

The GoM on the Bhopal disaster will also include Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Law Minister Veerappa Moily, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, Chemicals and Fertiliser Minister M.K. Alagiri, Urban Development Minister Jaipal reddy, Surface Transport Minister Kamal Nath, Science & Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Kumai Selja.

The GoM is expected to review existing laws to deal with industrial disasters and deliberate on the changes to be made with respect to criminal liability and compensation for victims. The review assumes importance in view of the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill, which is already facing criticism by political parties.

The External Affairs Ministry today sought to allay doubts that India had not made the effort to get Anderson extradited for the trial. A senior MEA official told the media that the government had been making the request to the US administration. While the first such request, he claimed, was made in 2003, the last such request was made in September, 2008.

The then Ambassador to the United States, Ronen Sen, had written to the CBI director saying, “ We need more information if we are to take this request forward.” The official admitted that the US administration had taken the stand that the extradition request did not meet the relevant provisions of the Indo-US Extradition treaty. “ We have been requesting the investigating agency to give us the additional information that would enable us to press for a review of the American decision,” he added.

Responding to the claim made by a former Joint Director of the CBI that the MEA had written a letter asking the agency not to press for Anderson’s extradition, the spokesman said, “ We are looking at our records and we have not come across any such letter”.

An embarrassed Congrss spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan spelt out that the party felt Anderson should be brought back for trial. Natarajan acknowledged the widespread disappointment and outrage at the inadequate punishment meted out to the accused by a trial court but sought to share the blame with “successive governments from different parties at the Centre.”

Legal experts pointed out that the Supreme Court in April this year had ruled against the locus standi of state governments to appeal in cases investigated by the CBI.

US Congressman bats for India