Will India take part in Dow-sponsored Olympics, BJP asks Government

Several BJP members today asked the government to make its stand clear whether Indian players will participate in the forthcoming London Olympics if Dow Chemicals, linked with the Bhopal gas tragedy, is a sponsor.

Raising the matter during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Maya Singh (BJP) said the government should "make it clear whether Indian players will not participate in the games", if Dow Chemicals is among the sponsors.

She urged all members to support her in pressurising the government not to let Indian players participate in the Olympics. She was joined by several party colleagues.

Amid reports of Dow being the principal sponsor of the Olympics next year, Singh said the Bhopal Gas tragedy had claimed thousands of lives and rendered thousands handicapped.

The trauma of the affected persons was continuing and they are yet to be paid adequate compensation.

Singh said Dow Chemicals is linked to Union Carbide and India should abstain from participating in the Games.

She also charged the Centre with not doing justice to the affected persons and sought a clarification on the issue.

The BJP members also alleged that the compensation granted to them so far was inadequate and the gas-affected people were cheated as they could not even get their treatment done with such low compensation.