Dharna Blog

August 13, Day 18

The dharna site was quiet today, the mood steady but resigned to waiting. Meanwhile Rasheeda bi, Shalini, Rachna and Sathyu were able to get around 20-25 more endorsements of our petition by parliamentarians, and the personal secretaries of some MPs helped us access other parliamentarians. It was hard to figure out how to go about finding parliamentarians whom they could talk to - so they approached all sorts of people- secretaries, security guards, party office staff and so on to help us recognise parliamentarians. So now we have a total number of 53 endorsements from MPs representing 18 different parties. We hope to have a lot more endorsements from the CPI as Mr. D. Raja is circulating our petition amongst his party members.

PRESS CONFERENCE

What: Bhopalis to conclude dharna; 62 MPs from 19 Political Parties Write to PM

Significant progress on major demands

When: 18 August, 2010. 3 p.m.

Where: Jantar Mantar dharna sthal

Background:

More than 60 MPs spanning 19 political parties have endorsed a letter to the PM urging him to resolve all pending rehabilitation issues related to Bhopal by the 26th Anniversary in December 2010. With this assurance, and in light of the steps taken by the Governments of India and Madhya Pradesh to address some of the key demands of the Bhopal dharna, the five organisers of the July-August, 2010, dharna will end their protest and return to Bhopal tomorrow. A presentation on the status of various demands, and a copy of the Letter from MPs to the PM will be made.

For more information, contact: Rachna Dhingra: 09826167369 or Shalini: 9958924989

Dharna Blog

Day 21 - 16 August 2010

Rachna and Shalini set out early morning for the Parliament.  They have been visiting the Parliament since last week in order to get endorsements from different Members of Parliaments. A week later, both of them seem to know a lot more of the Parliament and its many curves and lanes. At the same time, their faces have become familiar to lot more people. No wonder, when one is missing among the duo, the other is often asked by the security guards and other staff, ‘how come you are alone today, where is your friend?” Finding friends in this giant and seeming cold building is no mean task. And this is what both these ladies have been trying to do for the last six days- finding friends for Bhopalis among the Parliamentarians.

The experience so far has been bitter-sweet. Today was no different. They waited outside the Parliament for the person who was supposed to help them with the entry passes. After many unacknowledged, unreturned calls they decided to contact someone they met a day ago in the Parliament. He is Personal Secretary to a MP and he had been very forthcoming with his support. On a single call he ensured we get the passes. Our first stop being the alley near gate 2 close to Lok Sabha Gallery. ‘Abhi aapka stock poora nahi hua madam?’ asked a PS sitting next to us. We smiled and mentioned how we are trying for some more endorsements in order to have representations from different political parties. Two-three more PS sat next to us, discussing among themselves the status of politics, how parliamentarians are now demanding a salary raise from Rs 80,000 per month to Rs 1,60,000 and making playful bet on who would win the elections in Bihar this time and amidst all this euphoria remembering to give us a meaningful nod whenever a MP passed by. Soon we collected ten more endorsements.