This rap video, ‘Kodaikanal Won’t’ took on one of the biggest consumer goods companies in the world, and won. BIG. “Unilever came and left devastation as they exposed the land to contamination.”
The video EXPLODED with over 3.5M views on Youtube. Sofia Ashraf, activist rapper said “Hindustan Unilever has designed to compensate 591 mercury ex-workers.
Unilever announced it is paying compensation to ex-workers at a thermometer factory in Kodaikanal, India.
“Guys, we did something. A guilt-ridden mother can actually take care of her mentally ill son. Now, thanks to you, a family can pay off the debt incurred by the medical bills of their now dead son. A physically and mentally worn-down man can support his family now, thanks to you. To every liker, every commenter, every person who shared, tweeted, blogged, you did it. A morning mother’s gratitude lies at the end of your mouse click.” said Ashraf.
The campaign plans to continue fighting until Unilever cleans up the mercury contamination.
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By and large human beings clamour for social justice. Vested interest and greedy corporations will usually put the lid on their misdeeds. In this day of social media and an increasingly sophisticated information highway the common man cannot be kept ignorant of institutional plunder and greed. When words get out that an organisation is anti-social their PR guys will have difficulty in containing it. This label of conspiracy theory to discredit the exposure may at times be a conspiracy against the genuine claim of injustice. So rappers and social media users you guys got a moral task to light up the dark crevice of systemic exploitation and foul play perpetuated by lesser beings and their cohorts. Their veneer of respectability and social conscience should be challenged.