Indore water contamination: Congress seeks SC-level independent probe into deaths

New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday sought answers from the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh over the loss of lives due to contaminated water in Indore, and a Supreme Court-level independent probe to make the BJP government accountable.

Addressing a press conference here, Congress' head of media and publicity department Pawan Khera alleged that the "ugly, brutal, and utterly callous face" of the BJP government has been exposed through this.

In Indore, he claimed 18 innocent lives, including that of a six-month-old infant, have been lost due to the gross negligence, incompetence, and blatant apathy of the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh.

Over 40,000 people have been affected, and many are still fighting for their lives in ICUs he said, adding this is the same Indore city that has clinched the "cleanest city" title for the eighth consecutive time in the central government's Swachh Survekshan survey.

"The BJP, which endlessly parades its slogan of 'sabka saath, sabka vikas', has failed at its most fundamental duty: providing safe and clean drinking water. Instead of showing urgency, compassion, or accountability, the BJP government displayed shocking arrogance," it said.

"Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister Kailash Vijayvargiya insulted concerned journalists with the dismissive remark, 'don’t ask fokat questions', and used the shameless words while grieving families waited in vain for the promised compensation," he claimed.

With the government offering a paltry Rs 2 lakh per victim, Khera said this contemptible sum mocks the value of human life.

"Families are left to bear lifelong grief caused entirely by the BJP’s reckless arrogance, incompetence, and sheer apathy," he alleged.

"We demand that this neglect be immediately probed and ordered by the Prime Minister’s Office, with escalation to the Asian Development Bank and a Supreme Court–level independent inquiry to make the BJP government accountable. Only such intervention can ensure that those responsible for this catastrophic failure are held accountable and that the blood of innocent citizens does not go unavenged," Khera said.

The tragedy exposes decades of systemic failure, the Congress leader said, adding despite flagship programs like the Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the BJP government has repeatedly failed to ensure clean drinking water.

He said this is not the first time the BJP government has failed as in 2003 and 2008, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) provided loans of USD 200 million and USD 71 million to the government of Madhya Pradesh for the Urban Water Supply and Environment Improvement Project, covering the cities of Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, and Jabalpur.

The project was designed to rehabilitate pumping stations, install water metering systems, lay sewage networks, and construct water treatment plants. According to ADB records, the funding aimed to improve water access, sanitation, and waste management for millions of citizens.

However, over the past two decades, the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has utterly failed to implement these obligations, he alleged.

Quarterly water quality testing was not conducted, monitoring reports were never prepared or submitted, and critical infrastructure projects were left incomplete or mismanaged, he further alleged.

"This is not mere administrative negligence; it is a criminal betrayal of citizens and a blatant violation of international loan conditions. The blood of 18 innocent people, including a six-month-old infant, lies at the doorstep of the BJP’s arrogance and mismanagement," he said.

Khera also asked how could sewage be allowed to contaminate the city’s drinking water while the BJP government turned a blind eye.

"Why were repeated warnings from citizens ignored, putting thousands of lives at risk? Who will take responsibility for these preventable deaths caused by the BJP’s reckless negligence? How can the chief minister and senior ministers justify their silence while innocent children and infants perish," he asked.