Rahul Gandhi held the BJP government responsible for deaths linked to contaminated drinking water in Indore.
He visited Bhagirathpura, met affected families and patients, and questioned the credibility of the smart city model.
Death figures remain contested, with residents citing 24 deaths while the state has reported seven to the High Court.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday held the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Madhya Pradesh responsible for deaths linked to contaminated drinking water in Indore, questioning the credibility of the much-touted urban and smart city model as residents of one locality continue to grapple with a severe diarrhoea outbreak.
According to PTI, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha visited Indore’s Bhagirathpura area, where cases of vomiting and diarrhoea linked to water contamination were reported last month, and met families of those who have died as well as patients undergoing treatment. Gandhi said the incident exposed deep failures in basic urban governance, stressing that “clean water is a public right”.
He also met four patients admitted at Bombay Hospital, a private facility, enquiring about their health and speaking to family members. He was accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari and leader of the opposition in the state assembly, Umang Singhar.
Speaking to reporters after meeting affected families, Gandhi said, “It’s the government’s responsibility to provide clean water to people and reduce pollution. But the government isn’t fulfilling these responsibilities.”
Taking aim at the Centre, he said Indore was being projected as a model smart city despite its inability to ensure safe drinking water. “Indore is a new model smart city that doesn’t even have clean drinking water,” he said, adding, “People are being intimidated.”
Raising broader questions about urban governance, Gandhi said residents were dying after consuming contaminated water. “This is the urban model. This isn’t just about Indore. This is happening in cities across the country,” he said.
PTI reported that Gandhi demanded accountability for the incident, saying someone in the government must be held responsible for what he described as a drinking water disaster. “People in Indore have died after drinking contaminated water due to the government’s negligence. In such a situation, the government should provide full support and adequate compensation to the victims,” he said.
He reiterated that access to clean water was a public right but alleged that the BJP government had failed to secure it for citizens. “While people are dying in agony and families are falling apart, BJP leaders are solely focused on shirking responsibility. This government’s attitude is extremely insensitive and will not be tolerated,” Gandhi said.
During his visit to Bhagirathpura, Gandhi pointed to a large government water tank and alleged that the problem had not been resolved. “This tank, even today, does not have clean water. Since the city is under media scrutiny, a bandage has been applied (to the wound), which will only last for a few days. As soon as the media’s attention shifts, the situation will revert to what it was,” he said.
He added that residents wanted a permanent solution. Gandhi said the families affected by the tragedy were seeking the government’s intervention to fulfil its responsibility and develop a sustainable system to ensure the supply of clean drinking water.
Responding to criticism from the ruling BJP that his visit was politically motivated, Gandhi rejected the charge. “I am the leader of the opposition. People have died here because of contaminated drinking water. They are not getting clean water. I have come to raise their issue and help them. There is nothing wrong with that. It is my responsibility to help the victims... Call it politics or whatever you want; it doesn’t matter to me,” he said.
According to PTI, Gandhi visited the homes of Geeta Dhruvkar (64) and Jeevanlal Barede (80), who died during the diarrhoea outbreak, and offered condolences to their families. He later met several affected families at one location in the area.
Congress leaders said that, in Gandhi’s presence, the party provided financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh each to 16 affected families. Singhar separately extended aid of Rs 50,000 to each of these families.
Residents of Bhagirathpura have claimed that 24 people have died so far due to the vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak. The Madhya Pradesh government, however, told the High Court in a status report that the death toll stood at seven, including a five-month-old infant.
A ‘death audit’ report prepared by a committee of the government-run Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College has indicated that the deaths of 15 people in Bhagirathpura could be linked to the outbreak in some manner.
The administration has paid compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of 21 people who died after the outbreak began. Officials have maintained that while some deaths occurred due to other illnesses and causes, financial assistance was provided to all bereaved families on humanitarian grounds, PTI reported.
(With inputs from PTI)
