Water contamination deaths: Congress stages protest in Indore, demands Vijaywargiya's ouster

Indore: Congress leaders and workers hit the streets in Madhya Pradesh's Indore to protest against the ruling BJP over the vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak caused by contaminated drinking water, which it claimed has killed 21 persons in the city.

Protesters sought the resignation of state Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya and Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava, and held the BJP responsible for the incident, demanding accountability from the state leadership.

Several Congress MLAs and senior leaders took out a 'Nyay Yatra', marching from Bada Ganpati Square to Rajwada Square.

Holding placards, protesters also demanded FIRs against those responsible for the drinking water tragedy in the Bhagirathpura area.

Bhagirathpura, which has been in the spotlight following several deaths linked to the vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak, falls under the Indore-1 assembly constituency, which Vijayvargiya represents.

Seven people have died following a diarrhoea outbreak triggered by the consumption of contaminated water in the locality, as per the health department, while residents have claimed 17 deaths. The Indore district collector has distributed compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to 18 affected families.

Addressing the 'Nyay Yatra', MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari claimed that in the past 25 years, the BJP government had spent Rs 1 lakh crore in the name of development in Indore, but failed to provide even a glass of clean drinking water to the people of Bhagirathpura.

"Chief Minister Mohan Yadav should apologise to Indore for the deaths of 21 people due to contaminated drinking water," he said, adding that Yadav is also the district's in-charge minister.

He further announced that the Congress would launch a public awareness campaign against the alleged mismanagement of drinking water and would conduct a "water audit" to check water quality across the state.

Patwari accused the BJP of seeking votes in the name of religion, extremism and hatred, and compared the ruling party to Ravana.

The BJP was arrogant in believing it could never lose elections, and (demon king) Ravana too had similar pride, but was killed by Lord Ram for his injustice and oppression, he said.

Congress Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh demanded that the Indore drinking water tragedy be probed by a sitting judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, with public hearings held as part of the judicial inquiry.

Those found guilty in the probe should be given appropriate punishment to set an example for others, he said.

The former chief minister also criticised Hindu conventions held across the state on Sunday by various groups to mark the centenary year of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

"After all, it is Hindus who have died in the tragic Bhagirathpura incident, so could these Hindu conventions not have been postponed? Why do they want to set the country on fire once again?" he said.

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Umang Singhar, claimed that BJP leaders spoke about attrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, but had no concern for Hindus who died due to contaminated drinking water in Bhagirathpura.

He alleged that no criminal case had been registered so far in connection with the drinking water tragedy because BJP leaders had developed "thick skin like crocodiles".