Indore

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi visited Indore on Saturday to meet families affected by the recent water contamination incident that has claimed multiple lives in the city.

During his visit, Gandhi met patients undergoing treatment at Bombay Hospital and interacted with their families. He also visited the Bhagirathpura locality, one of the worst-affected areas, to assess the situation on the ground and express solidarity with those impacted by the crisis.

The Congress party shared details of the visit on social media platform X, stating that Gandhi would meet residents who fell ill due to contaminated drinking water and families who lost their loved ones in the incident.

Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari criticised the BJP-led state government, accusing it of indulging in blame-shifting instead of addressing the core issue. He said that despite decades of BJP rule in the state, the Indore Municipal Corporation and the parliamentary constituency, the administration had failed to ensure access to safe drinking water.

“Twenty-four to twenty-five people have lost their lives due to poisonous water in Indore. The state government and the chief minister are busy with blame and counter-blame. If they cannot understand the pain of these families, Rahul Gandhi will,” Patwari told ANI. He added that the issue raised serious questions about governance and basic civic facilities.

Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Umang Singhar said Gandhi’s visit was aimed at understanding the causes of the incident at the grassroots level while standing with the affected families.

“The objective of this visit is to express solidarity with the victims’ families and to understand the reasons behind this tragedy. Access to clean drinking water is a constitutional right and the responsibility of the municipal corporation. This incident is a blot on Indore,” Singhar said.

He added that the Congress would press for accountability and demand long-term solutions to ensure clean drinking water and a healthier environment for the city’s residents.

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The water contamination incident in Bhagirathpura has triggered widespread criticism, with several fatalities and many others falling ill. Earlier, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced financial assistance of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and assured free medical treatment for all affected persons.