British Prime Minister David Cameron has said he will be “very sad” if India boycotts the London Olympics following the row over sponsorship of the event by Dow Chemicals, linked to the Bhopal gas tragedy.
But Mr. Cameron dubbed Dow a “reputable company” and said he did not want to see the Olympics used for industrial or political purposes. “It would be a very sad day,” he told Karan Thapar on Devil's Advocate programme on CNN-IBN, when asked about a possible boycott by India.
Mr. Cameron said he felt “huge sympathy” for those injured and killed in the gas disaster, but boycotting the Olympics was not the “right action.” “By all means, take up the issue with the International Olympics Committee but a boycott will not be the right action. I will be very sad for Indian athletes, sad for India, Britain, of course. I will be desperately sad. But I cannot tell people to come. I have fulfilled all my responsibilities. I hope the Indian athletes will come.”
