New Delhi: The Bhopal Gas tragedy victims demanded issuance of a white paper on the status of criminal proceedings against Union Carbide and the extradition of its former CEO Warren Anderson besides speedy distribution of remaining compensation.

In a memorandum to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan (BGPMUS) said, "It is shameful that the criminal case registered against Carbide in the Bhopal court on December one, 1987 is still in its preliminary stages."

"Ten years after the issuance of a warrant for the arrest of the main accused, Warren Anderson, the government of India failed to arrange for his extradition," BGPMUS convenor Abdul Jabbar said addressing a group of the gas tragedy victims who held a protest march at the Parliament street.

He alleged while the government is talking "forcefully" about the extradition of underworld don Abu Salem, "CBI under instructions of the government has requested the court to dilute the charges."

Criticising the government's lenient attitude towards the extradition of Warren Anderson, Jabbar said both Salman Khan, accused in the hit-and-run case and Warren Anderson have been booked under the same sections of the IPC, "but Anderson has not spent even a second in jail."

Attacking the government for its "heartless" and "insensitive" manner in which the compensation to the victims is being implemented, Jabbar said both state and Central governments are formulating various schemes to utilise the money.

PTI