The irony is that Bhopal Gas Tragedy, a horrific disaster, sells as news both within the country and outside. Many people including me were shocked to read the story that appeared as anchor on page 1.
Those who have visited Bhopal, witnessed the plight of gas victims and problems of victims like women who are infertile and have enormous complications apart from the problems of relief and rehabilitation know how NGOs have exploited the gas victims.
The story is sadly done without research.
I don't say that the NGO hasn't done work. It has done, lot of work. But the story has glaring errors. Can a person sitting in New York do a story in Katrina and it would appear in NYT. No, it will not then why IE can carry such a story.
I have been to Bhopal several times and seen the truth of many such crusaders and the real men who are unsung heroes. I don't want to comment further because I might be mistaken as a party. But the men who have worked tirelessly for the cause of gas victims have always been ignored because they don't know english, are not publicity-savvy and are too plagued by the problems of the victims to go to Delhi or New York and get publicity. Even the facts are wrong.
Sonu Jain is a veterna journo and even I didn't expect such inaccuracies. Sarangi reached Bhopal in the late nineties and two decades of crusade is all farce. This NGO business is getting too messier and nasty.
Everybody trading on tragedies, poverty and poor people. If a self-styled activist speak good English, can do networking, is able to hold candle light procession or similar shows that sell in the western media, even our gullible journos believe. Writing 600 words is easy but shouldn't some research be done.
