Bhopal erupted in political fervor today as Congress lawmakers staged a dramatic protest inside the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha premises. Holding bottles filled with murky, contaminated water, they demanded the resignation of Urban Administration Minister over deaths in Indore’s Bhaagirthpura area.
The demonstration unfolded on the second day of the state assembly’s budget session. Led by Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar, Congress MLAs gathered before Mahatma Gandhi’s statue, brandishing placards with slogans and the offending water bottles. Their chants echoed demands for justice for families devastated by the tragedy.
Singhar highlighted the shocking loss of lives due to poisoned water supply in Bhaagirthpura, labeling it a heartbreaking failure of governance. He accused the state government of dodging accountability and insisted that Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya resign on moral grounds. Immediate action against culpable officials and concrete steps for clean drinking water statewide were also called for.
‘Across Madhya Pradesh, citizens are forced to consume sewage-laced water—a dire public health crisis,’ Singhar thundered. He contrasted the Governor’s address touting clean water promises with grim on-ground realities. Every resident deserves safe water as a fundamental right, he stressed, not a luxury for those who can afford bottled alternatives.
The opposition leader criticized the government’s reluctance to debate the issue in the house, calling it undemocratic. Congress vowed unrelenting agitation until victims receive justice and perpetrators face punishment. Former Agriculture Minister Sachin Yadav echoed these sentiments, pointing out the minister’s inaction amid mounting fatalities.
This protest underscores escalating tensions between the ruling BJP and opposition Congress, spotlighting urban infrastructure lapses in one of India’s commercial hubs. As the budget session progresses, all eyes are on whether the government will address these pressing concerns or let political posturing prevail.