It Pay's to be Truthful

In my entire career for the first time in Bhopal, during my stint with the Hindustan Times, I was accused by an IAS officer of filing news without evidence. This event involved Dominique Lapierre who had come to Bhopal from 6th to the 10 September 2001 to release his book 'It was five past midnight in Bhopal'. It happened that Lapierre along with his nephew and co-author Javier Moro were going to visit the Union Carbide factory to pose with their book for the visiting European media persons and I tagged along with them since Moro had invited me to join them.
At the entrance of the Carbide factory the bus was made to stop and the security person in charge came in and asked me to leave since this was the instruction by the Madhya Pradesh state government that no India will be allowed into the Factory premises. They were about three Indian Journalists who were denied including me.

The following was story Hindustan Times published on my first person account along with the denial report by the concerned IAS officer and the reply to which I had made, thanks to Dominique Lapierre.

Dominique Lapierre along with co-author Javire Moro showing copies of 'It was five past Midnight in Bhopal' to the gas victim Ganga Ram, one of the key characters in the book, upon their arrival in Bhopal on Thursday, 6th September, 2001.

This image was used in the Hindustan Times - Delhi and Bhopal editions on the 7th, September, 2001.




EXORCISING THE PAST: The shadow of Dominique Lapierre- speaking at the release function of his book It was five past midnight in Bhopal - looms over a reflective Chief Minister Digvijay Singh on Friday, 7th September, 2001.


This image was used in the page 1 of the Hindustan Times - Bhopal edition on the 8th September, 2001 edition.




Lapierre, a friend of Indian Press - Dated 8th September 2001 in the Bhopal Live pages.

Writer Dominique Lapierre today came to the rescue of the Indian Press corps when they were denied permission to enter the Union Carbide factory along with the European press group. Lapierre showed his solidarity with the Indian Press by arguing with L K Joshi, Commissioner Public Relations (Government of Madhya Pradesh). Lapierre eventually succeeded in getting the Indian Journalists inside the factory. Joshi was opposed to the entry of the Indian media, including a TV channel from New Delhi, along with the foreign press.
Lapierre wanted the European media people to hear him about the gas tragedy with the backdrop of the factory. Lapierre said he could not see any difference between the Indian Press and the foreign one and so the permission be granted.
This experience of Indian media men was indeed heartening. They seldom get this kind of professional support from their foreign counterparts.

Dominique Lapierre along with co-author Javire Moro pose with their book 'It was five past midnight in Bhopal' at the Union Carbide Factory on Friday, 7th September, 2001.

Joshi Denies Report - Dated 10th September, 2001 in Bhopal live pages.

Principal Secretary and Commissioner Public Relations L K Joshi has categorically denied that Dominique Lapierre had had a talk with him on the afternoon of September 7 to get entry to Indian Journalists into the Union Carbide plant. Referring to the news item titled 'Lapierre, a friend of Indian Press', that appeared in Bhopal live on September 8, Joshi said 'Lapierre never talked to me, to say nothing of arguing, about permission to the local press to enter Union Carbide'.
'I had been approched by Mr Parikh to get permission for the Department of Bhopal Gas Relife for some visiting journalists from France. Later I recieived a call from the correspondent of the Star TV that she also wanted to visit the factory along with the visiting foreign journalists. I explained to her that I would have to obtain permission from the concerned department which may take some time. However, Ms Alka Sirohi, Principal Secretary readily agreed to give the necessary permission. I requested my colleague Mr Raghuraj Singh to go to Union Carbide premises and ensure that all journalists could enter the premises of UC. Another colleague of mine Mr Somkuwar was present at the site and sorted out the proble. I have always tried sincerely to extend whatever assistance in my power to help mediapersons and this has always been reciprocated.
My Reply to the Rejoinder -

My report was based on the fact that while the foreign journalists were permitted easy access to the plant, Indian journalists were not. In my presence Dominique Lapierre, using Mr Parikh's phone made a couple of calls and there was talk that Mr L K Joshi has been spoken to and an he will contact us back to sort out matter.
The Indian press corps were finally allowed inside only after Mr Lapierre made it a prestige issue.
Mr Lapierre even mentioned this episode at length during an interactive session with the public and the media at the TTTI auditorium on Sunday morning (09-09-2001) and said he had to speak to the authorities to allow Indian media persons along with the Europeans. The reference to Mr Joshi in my report was based on my understanding of what transpired between Mr Joshi and Mr Lapierre. No offence was, however intended towards anyone. I may also mention that Mr Joshi and his staff have been exteremely helpful in enabling me to discharge my responsibilites as a photo-journalist.


(Left) Dominique Larierre along with Foreign media at the Union Carbide factory site with me leading in the front, (Right) Dominique Lapierre and Javire Moro with me before they left back to France to promote their book.