A rally in Bhopal on December 3, 2025, marking the 41st anniversary of the 1984 gas tragedy faced trouble when right-wing activists objected to an effigy allegedly resembling an RSS worker. Organisers of the rally, held near the old Union Carbide factory, displayed two effigies—one of Dow Chemical, the US company now owning Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL), and another of a man in white shirt and khaki half-pants. As the rally went on, a group of RSS and BJP workers blocked the route and opposed the second effigy. This sparked a heated exchange, leading police to file an FIR against organisers including Rachna Dhingra and others under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 196(1) and 223, said Rakesh Baghel, Assistant Commissioner of Police. The police also took control of the effigy to stop further conflict. Mr. Baghel added, "The organisers tried to say it looked like a jailor and not a worker of an organisation but a jailor does not wear a black hat. The arguments between both sides kept getting intense. So we had to disperse the rally midway only." Organisers denied targeting any group, stating the effigies symbolised companies responsible for the tragedy and government protection of them. Rachna Dhingra said, "We were not targeting any particular organisation and only looked to highlight the plight of the survivors while those responsible for the tragedy still haven’t been brought to justice." She further accused RSS workers of tearing the effigy and labelling participants anti-national. Despite offers to remove the effigy, organisers had to stop the rally within 500 metres to avoid confrontation and are considering filing a complaint. Activists also criticised the BJP-led Union government for supporting Dow Chemical, accusing it of shielding UCIL. Rashida Bee, president of Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh, said, "The level of support the Indian government has extended to Dow Chemical will shock anyone. The latest is the transport of discarded chemical plant machinery by Dow Chemical from Germany and using them for its factory in Gujarat." The Bhopal gas tragedy on December 2-3, 1984, caused 5,479 deaths due to methyl isocyanate gas leak and left over five lakh people disabled or with serious health issues, according to government data.