The Union Sports Ministry has written to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), urging it to cancel the sponsorship of Dow Chemical for the London Olympics.
In a letter, dated February 24, to IOC president Jacques Rogge, the Ministry's joint secretary Rahul Bhatnagar said that such a step by the IOC would assuage the “feelings of millions of people” and send a strong message the world over for upholding the noble ideals of the Olympic Movement.
The Ministry had asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) earlier to convey India's protest over the IOC and the London Games being associated with a company which is the successor of Union Carbide, which in turn was held responsible for the unprecedented gas tragedy that occurred in Bhopal in 1984.
IOC's reply
Mr. Rogge, replying to a letter by IOA president Vijay Kumar Malhotra, said the IOC sympathised with the IOA. He pointed out at the same time that the sponsorship deal with Dow was finalised when the IOC and the Games Organising Committee (LOCOG) were aware of the Bhopal tragedy.
The IOC contended that Dow did not have any connection with the gas tragedy while it had supported the Olympic Movement for over 30 years.
Dow is a Worldwide Olympic Partner since 2010 and part of its funding goes to the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), including the IOA. The IOA has not accepted the IOC's stand, but wants the government to come out with a clear statement regarding India's participation, or otherwise, in the Olympics. It would be willing to follow any government directive regarding this.
“We are not talking of a boycott,” said Mr. Malhotra on Monday. “We will decide on the mode of protest after consultations with the government.”
He said the IOA Executive Board meeting here on March 2 would take a decision.
Keywords: Dow chemicals, London Olympics, Bhopal gas disaster, Sports Ministry
What is this double talk from the Government of India? The Indian parliament passed law, for authorizing the Government of India as the victim's sole representative. Accordingly, they received Rs.600 crores, out of which not a single paise was given to the victims. They frittered away all the money, building Traffic circles and parks. 26 years after the incident, the past chairman of Union Carbide was awarded a paltry 2 year sentence, which the GOI has never executed.
Now, what moral and ethical right the GOI has, to complain about DOW? DOW is not even the original sinner. It was Union Carbide, which is responsible for the death of so many people. let's not try to act more patriotic. Let the country be more sensible and catch the designs of our wily politicians, who continually try to divert the masses from the main issues.
What made the govt wake up? Or, is it only an empty gesture? I wish both IOA and the govt had taken a much stronger stand, "If DOW is in, we are out" of Olympics.
What has the government been doing all this while? How come there has been no official statement when the activists have been trying to remove DOW from sponsonship for more than 5 months. At times I hate to tell that Indian govt (no matter whichever party is in power) does not have the spine to force anything on our former colonial lord
This shows the money power domination over humanity. The indian
government over the time has repeatedly tried to clarify their stand on
their role of providing a contrived free passage to the big honchos
responsible for such inhuman action. Indian government has to send a
message on the world forum that they are not going to support them and
will take these honchos for the granted. And they are not going to bow
down ,"at least not this time".
Are we saying that Union Carbide was solely responsibile for the tragedy? What about the various Indian authorities responsible for licensing and maintenance of factories, inspectors inspecting the facilities only to take bribes and not fulfilling their duties? And of course the politicians and the bureacracy that alowed Anderson to leave India. When will we start taking our share of responsibility for these disasters and learn from it? Bhopal tragedy could not have happened wthout the negligence of INDIANS and Indian politicians.
Last but not the least, did we take care of the victims properly, to sit on a high moral ground?
Withdrawing is not the solution. For how long will india bycott. I agree with Joseph. The govt has the full authority to do the investigation and book the culprits..
Even if IOC withdraws Dow's sponshorship, will it amount to giving long delayed justice to Bhopal Victims. Part of the Apathy lies with various Central Government and successive State Governments in not doing enough. Delayed justice is no justice. Withdrwal of India's participation in the Olympics is no answer and would be down right foolish. It will amount to grave injustice to the hundreds of Indian athletes who have prepared hard and look to gain glory for the country and themselves. Many of them are looking to winning medals and attain the pinnacle of sporting achievement. Let us not deny our athletes this opportunity. If the perpetrators of the Bhopal Tragedy (UC and Dow) are unable to give justice, it is time that our Central and State Governments stepped in and fill the gap.
How come IOC is so helpless without Dow's sponsorship.Before that how they were managing?? This is not a question of one nation's emotions and feelings.this is the incident which is always remembered as a'worst disaster' of the millennium. IOC should not not accept sponsorship of Dow and if they are accepting then they are truly doing wrong!!!
Is this to show support to the gas tragedy victims ? I doubt. IF that is the real intention, the govt could have done much better than pulling out of a sport event/opposing sponsorship. They should have brought the real culprits to the law.
India should withdraw from Olympics if IOC allows Dow to continue as a sponsor.How can India be part of an event that promotes a company due to which India suffered on of the most horrifying memories, effects of which are still there?
Withdrawing Participation is like shying away from our responsibility.We have to let our athletes make a "humanitarian statement" about this massacre like the Black Power Salute of the 1968 Olympic Games.This will be a true honor for those who died and those who fought for justice.
We Indians make sure that we make everyone aware of their responsibility but when it comes to being aware about ours we fail. May I ask how under this very Congress Government ( and in presence of Arjun Singh) the perpetrators of The tragedy are roaming scott free and Mr Anderson has not yet been extradited. So first of all our Government should mend their ways. Coming to the IOC claim that DOW is not related to UC. I feel sorry for the ignorance of these people as DOW has already announced in 2001 about its wholly owned subsidiary UC.
India should not now come out with strong words of criticism and make sure that the dignity of all those victims is not compromised anyway.
I agree with Surge but if you think about it. Its a big political issue. Firstly if we withdrew participation, the government would just demolish the dreams of a lot of athletes who has worked hard to prepare for this pretegious event. If they do continue participate they would have to face allegetions and other things. Its kind of intersting to see how things are going to pan out.
I think Indian athletes should participate and 1) Refuse to wear any clothing that has Dow endorsement (2) Wear clothing that creates awareness of Bhopal Gas Tragedy and shows link with Dow Chemicals and (3) Wear a black arm-band. This will create more awareness of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy and Dow's responsibility in it. Opting out of Olympics will not do much to shame Dow.
Please withdraw else, we will give into commercializing sports the way IOC has done! It is however true, our inept sports ministry and IOA just woken up to this fact after there is protest, else they could care less about this...but this doesn't mean we agree now, so let's show it to the entire world that DOW/UC indeed didn't own up and pay up for the damage inflicted. They are just lucky the tragedy didn't happen in a developed country bcuz they could be bankrupt from such a thing, but in India they can bribe their way out even if it means millions are affected and we just don't have a government (NDA or Congress or BJP..all fall in the same category for that matter) who is there for the masses, they are just there to take care of their purses and that of their party's.
It would be our foolishness to withdraw from olympics and spoil the career aspirations of sportsmen. Being the second most populous country in the world and with a population over 1.2 billion, India is struggling to win 5 olympic medals. In Olympics 2008, India won 1 gold and 2 bronze while china won 51 gold, 21 silver />and 28 bronze. The overall ratio stands 1:33 approximately. Holding these statistics it would not be a wise action to withdraw from olympics. We have to use every opportunity we get to nurture ourselves.
The point here is to send out a strong message, without jeopardizing the dreams of Indian olympic participants.
In a capitalist culture the best way is to boycott the products of
Dow Chemical and its joint-ventures. However, since Dow makes
industrial chemicals, it may not be possible. Dow has a joint-venture
with Corning Ware too. May be on the inauguration day of Olympics, we
can take out our Corning Ware dishes and smash it. BTW, I don't own
any of them.
On the opening day parade of the Olympics Indian delegate should carry placards denouncing the Dow Chemicals for the tragedies that killed and maimed hundreds of thousands of innocent people living around the area. This atleast will bring to the attention of the world how big corporations like the Dows carry out their operations with scant regards to the welfare of the people they say they serve.
Personally i hate to admit that India's position will not be favoured at
this stage of the tournament organization schedule , we cannot hold IOC
responsible for siding with DOW chemicals , they have been their long
term sponsors and from a commercial point of view it would be contrary
to the interests of IOC, but morally speaking there can be no
justification...AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
The GOI and the state governments have totally failed in handling Bhopal Gas Tragedy. If this is the way these governments are handling this kind of tragedy how will they handle a disaster like Fukushima, Chernobil and Three Misle Island? PM , Narayanaswamy and the Congress are fooling the Indians that Koodankulam is safe.When such disaster takes place these leaders will not be there. People are more important than Nuclear Energy or Atomic Bomb. Stop Koodankulam in the name of all the victims of Bhopal Gas Tragedy. IF IOC REJECT OUR REQUEST INDIA SHOULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE LONDON OLYMPIC.
Politics aside the IOC must carefully look into the humanitarian aspect of this myopic decision to allow the sponsorship by Dow Chemicals. All the hand wringing and cover-up that Dow was not involved in the actual disaster smacks of utter hypocrisy as the recent expose by Wickileaks shows as to the underhand activity of Dow in appointing Stratfor to spy and report on the acivities of and the activists seeking redress for the Bhopal Tragedy. How low can one get and resort to blatant lies? India will be well advised to withdraw from the Olympics if her legitimate demands are not met. [The case in point is the recent charge on BP over the oil rig disater for which $11 billion compensation is being demanded by the US government.]
The real question is what the Indian govt will do when this letter is rejected by the IOC. Do they withdraw from participation or not? I hope they do. It is the least we can do to honour the victims of the Bhopal mass murder.
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