Bhopal - 3. Friendly Business
Seriously...
BBC
4.1 • 885 Ratings
🗓️ 9 September 2022
⏱️ 15 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The Bhopal gas tragedy was the worlds worst industrial accident. Tens of thousands of people died and many more suffered long term illnesses when lethal methyl isocyanate gas leaked from the Union Carbide plant in the city in central India on 2nd December 1984.
For the previous two years one man had been predicting that Bhopal was an accident waiting to happen. Forty years ago this month the Bhopali journalist Rajkumar Keswani wrote his first article warning of the dangers posed by safety lapses at the plant. During a dogged investigation pitting him against political power, corporate money and the indifference of the media and public opinion, he never gave up. This cinematic documentary series tells his story for the first time.
Episode 3. Friendly Business
The more Keswani investigates the more he finds a cosy relationship between Union Carbide and local politicians and journalists. He's determined to expose the nepotism he uncovers but yet again, his written warning to the city falls on deaf ears. His friends and family don't believe him either, apart from his wife. Money troubles don't help. But Keswani is sure he has truth on his side, and sets his sights on the highest court in the land.
Narrator Narinder Samra Written and researched by Anubha Yadav and Radhika Kapur Music and Sound Design by Shreyan Chatterjee Studio Mix by Donald McDonald Producer Neil McCarthy
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This was an impregnable fortress. The only way you get out was in a wooden box. |
| 0:05.0 | The controversial maximum security prison impossible to escape from. |
| 0:09.0 | And one of the duties of a political prisoner is the escape. |
| 0:12.0 | The IRA inmates who found a way. of a political prisoner is the escape. |
| 0:12.5 | The IRA inmates who found a way. |
| 0:14.5 | I'm Carlo Gableer and I'll be navigating a path |
| 0:19.5 | through the disturbing inside story of the biggest jailbreak in British and Irish history. |
| 0:25.0 | The narrative that they want is that this is a big achievement by them. |
| 0:28.5 | Escape from the maze, listen first on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:35.0 | BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds, Music Radio Podcasts. |
| 0:39.0 | Hello, I'm Neil McCarthy, producer of Boopal, |
| 0:42.0 | the story of the world's worst industrial accident. |
| 0:45.3 | You're listening to seriously from BBC Radio 4. |
| 0:48.6 | In this episode, Kishani uncovers a web of nepotism surrounding Union Carbide and local authorities. |
| 0:55.0 | Episode 3, Friendly Business. |
| 0:58.0 | Narrated by Naryndesamra Boba. This is the story of a man who could have changed the course of history. |
| 1:16.7 | Rajkuma Kosswani, a young fearless journalist, predicted the world's largest chemical disaster, the Bopal Gas Tragedy, which left over 20,000 dead. |
| 1:30.0 | If only anyone had bothered to listen to him. |
| 1:39.3 | My wife always convinced that I always behave like a child. |
| 1:46.0 | He is very, very, you have another man for me. My wife complains that I behave like a child. People think that's a weakness, but for me that is my strength. |
| 1:51.0 | I'm very happy I haven't lost it. |
| 1:53.8 | You see, children can be very stubborn. |
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