Bhopal Church vows never to forget gas victims

(December 26, 2009) Bhopal archdiocese has held a Christmas party for the Union Carbide plant gas-leak survivors, still seeking justice decades after the disaster that killed thousands and left a legacy of illness for many."Sharing the meal with the survivors during Christmas assures them that the Church is with them always," said Father Anand Muttungal, the Catholic Church spokesperson in the state. More than 3,000 people died in the early hours of December 3, 1984, when 40 tons of deadly methyl isocyanate gas leaked from the plant operated by Union Carbide. Some 200 survivors of the disaster, who partook in the party, had all the trimmings, including a Christmas cake and carols. Father Muttungal said the victims continue to suffer the after-effects a quarter century after the tragedy. "We organized the dinner for the survivors two days ahead of Christmas to tell them of our unflinching love," he said. Hazina Bi, a survivor who fights on behalf of other victims, said the Church's gesture "really moved" her. The archdiocese also presented a memento to Balram Chaurasia, a Hindu survivor, for his "relentless service" for the victims.