Campaign For Torts!

An interview with Abdul Jabbar, convener of the association fighting for justice for Bhopal's victims, set me thinking. He says:

The Supreme Court had diluted the charges in September 1996 from culpable homicide to section 304-A (death by negligence).

He adds:

... in 1989 the Union Carbide paid $470 million as a final settlement with the Union government.

"Death by negligence" should be a tort. What happened to the US$470 million? Why was it not given to the victims? Is this money still lying in the coffers of the State?

Abdul Jabbar seems to be looking for "criminal justice" - for some sort of "retribution" (like jail) for Warren Anderson. He seems least concerned about torts - i.e., monetary compensation of a very high order for the VICTIMS. "Restitution" would be real Justice in this instance.

We need a widespread campaign in India for a comprehensive system of torts. Not only for Bhopal. Not only for "nuclear civil liability." But no less for traffic accidents, for poisonous hooch, for spurious medicines, building collapses and the like. I have recently blogged about this.

What is suggest is a t-shirt and poster campaign. I have now added the word "TORTS!" to the image from Mint that accompanies this post. Designers can be roped in to make t-shirts and posters with such images and words emblazoned on them.

Let's just do it!