Activists and victims of the world’s worst industrial accident in Bhopal, India, in 1984 were detained by police this week after protesting in front of the Indian Prime Minister’s house. The Bhopal protesters, including many children, have been in Delhi for over a month waiting for an audience with the PM after walking there from Bhopal, 500 miles away. “Today, the Bhopal gas victims’ children came to meet the PM but were thwarted by the police,” said protester Hajira Bi. “We started our march on foot from Bhopal on Feb. 20 and reached Delhi on March 28. Since then, all of us are waiting … in the hope that the Prime Minister will meet us and listen to our pleas. Today after 38 days, the children tried to meet the PM and police did not allow them to do so.” Activists have demanded fair compensation for the tragedy and a thorough cleanup of the site, which still contains an estimated 10,000 tons of toxic chemicals that residents say continue to make them ill.
