What began as a peaceful rally to mark the 41st anniversary of the Bhopal gas tragedy turned into a heated political confrontation on Wednesday, after RSS and BJP workers clashed with gas victims' organisations over an effigy carried during the march.
Gas victims' groups had organised their annual remembrance rally from Bharat Talkies underbridge to JP Nagar Gas Memorial in Bhopal, demanding long-pending justice, stricter action against Union Carbide and Dow Chemical, and proper rehabilitation for survivors. But tensions escalated quickly when the organisations carried an effigy symbolising Union Carbide, Dow, and companies linked to the 1984 disaster.
RSS and BJP workers alleged that the effigy portrayed an "RSS worker" and accused the organisers of hurting religious and organisational sentiments. They confronted the marching groups, demanding the effigy be removed and calling the act "provocative" and "anti-national."
Gas victims' organisations rejected the allegations, stating the effigy represented the corporations responsible for the tragedy, not any group or organisation. They accused the BJP government of "protecting Dow Chemical" and obstructing efforts to hold the guilty companies accountable. According to them, the intervention over the effigy was politically motivated.
As arguments intensified, police stepped in and seized the effigy to prevent further escalation. Officers at the spot, however, refrained from making any detailed statement on the controversy.
RSS-BJP workers later demanded that a case be registered, claiming "anti-national activities" were being carried out under the guise of the rally. They insisted the depiction in the effigy was a deliberate attempt to provoke and "spoil the atmosphere."
Gas victims' organisations maintained their stand, reminding that 41 years after the disaster, survivors still await justice. They argued that the state and central governments have failed to take concrete action against Union Carbide, Dow Chemical, and their affiliates despite repeated appeals.
A BJP leader present at the scene alleged that the organisers attempted to "vitiate the atmosphere by carrying an effigy mimicking an RSS-associated figure," calling the act unacceptable.
While rallies and memorial events are held every year on the anniversary of the tragedy, this year's commemoration was overshadowed by the political confrontation. The police have urged all sides to maintain peace as the matter continues to stir reactions across the city.
