Coronavirus Lockdown Protests and Bhopal Tragedy

Some people are protesting against lock down imposed due to Coronavirus pandemic. We are lucky we are safe at homes. I would like to remind our friends about Bhopal tragedy and rethink our stand on protests.

Bhopal

December 2-3, 1984 Night

A night that never ended. A long dark night just began. The night, that will shatter our hearts forever. 

The night we want to forget but we will always remember.

Backyards turned into graveyards. Colorful shopping streets turned into bereavement streets. 

Eyes that hoped to see bright future could only see darkness. Smiles and laughter turned into grief. 

If they did not breathe, they die; if they breathe, they die. 

Death was on the streets.

Death was on swings where the children play, death was on the cots where children sleep, death was in parks where people walk, death was in their own homes.

Death was in the air.

Rich, poor, men, women, students, homemakers, toddlers, children, and unborn children in womb were stuck in a large gas chamber.

Nowhere to run! Nowhere to hide! Not even in their own homes.

That was just the start. For generations the effect of the poison will haunt human lives. An era of misery and despair just started.

Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) designed to kill pests killed humans like pests.

Corporation setup to provide livelihood took the lives. 

People ran for survival but….

We an have option to stay home and save lives.

(This post is based on reading various papers and recollection of my discussions with my elder brother who was a journalist with Indian Express at the time of Bhopal gas leak.)