Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today appealed to the Centre to lodge a strong protest against the sponsorship of the next year`s Olympic Games in London by US firm Dow Chemical. He urged the Centre to consider boycotting the Games in case the sponsorship continues because of the company`s link with the defunct Union Carbide responsible for the gas tragedy here in 1984, official sources said.
In a letter to Union Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare Ajay Makan, the Chief Minister reminded him about Dow`s link with the world`s worst industrial disaster. Chouhan pointed out that liabilities related to the tragedy are not yet fully settled and are subject of litigation to which Government of India is also a party.
The CM said it would not be appropriate if a company responsible for a tragedy of this magnitude is allowed to sponsor an event like the Olympics, considered as an ultimate expression of fair play, honesty and healthy endeavour. Dow purchased Union Carbide in 2001.