New Delhi: Linking the court verdict in the
Bhopal gas tragedy case with the Nuclear Liability Bill, BJP
Monday made a strong plea to the government to reconsider the
draft legislation contending that it "shielded" private
suppliers.
Terming the verdict as "painful", BJP spokesman Ravi
Shankar Prasad said that the investigative agencies should
immediately commence appellate proceedings against the court
order which gave those convicted only two years imprisonment.
"It`s painful. After 25 years of hearing, the accused
have got only two years of imprisonment. The CBI should go
into appeal immediately against the verdict," he told
reporters.
Noting that discussions were underway on the Civil
Liability for Nuclear Damages Bill, Prasad said "the
government should learn proper lessons from Bhopal gas
tragedy. The bill, as envisaged, puts any criminal liability
only on the nuclear operator."
"We urge the government not to rush with the crucial
legislation. In light of bitter experience of Bhopal, the
government should reconsider the Nuclear Bill seriously," he
said.
The Bill, that proposes a maximum limit of liability in
case of a nuclear accident at Rs 500 crore, was introduced in
the Lok Sabha last month amid stiff resistance from the
Opposition BJP and Left parties.
It has since been referred to the Parliamentary Standing
Committee on Science and Technology chaired by Congress leader
T Subbirami Reddy.
Opposition parties have argued that the compensation
amount in the Bill was too little and want the government to
hike it.
PTI
