Former Union Carbide chairman Keshub Mahindra was in Bhopal yesterday (July 6) to complete some legal formalities relating to his bail and said he wanted to do “something concrete” for the victims.

I am not easily moved by stuff. But reading what he said about the plight of the Bhopal gas victims, right there from ground zero, brought tears to my eyes. Have we misunderstood him all this while, did we fail to recognise the good heart in the corporate body?

Listen to this: “I have said for 20 years that my sympathies are with the people of Bhopal. I think something should be done quickly. If they need compensation, give them quickly. Help them with health. Instead of spending time on legal matters, we should help the people of Bhopal.”

Ignore the irony that he was in Bhopal for spending time on legal matters that had nothing to do with helping the people of Bhopal. That would be reading his mind and heart in fragments. Look at the complete picture, look at the sentiment!

I can’t believe this is the man our courts have hauled over the coals for 25 years and sentenced to two years. The law is an ass, indeed.

Mr Mahindra, too, agrees. He says he is unhappy with the trial court verdict. “Where are the evidences,” he asks.

Come to think of it, where are the evidences? Gassed. Dead. Gone. Buried. All 15,000 of them. Or is it 25,000?

So, why dig up old graves? Why don't we take Mr Mahindra’s advice and “do something quickly”? Forget that ever Bhopal happened. Quickly.