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by IANS |
Indore, Jan 5 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh Congress intensified its attack on the BJP government on Monday, announcing a 'Nyay Yatra' (March for Justice) on January 11 to demand accountability for the ongoing contaminated water crisis in Indore's Bhagirathpura area, which the party says has claimed more lives than have been officially declared.
The Congress has reiterated its demand for the resignation of Urban Administration Minister and local MLA Kailash Vijayvargiya, holding him directly accountable.
A party meeting involving block presidents, councillors, and leaders finalised the protest strategy based on collective inputs.
State Congress president Jitu Patwari alleged that the BJP-ruled administration is deliberately suppressing the death toll and restricting access to the affected locality to hide the scale of the tragedy.
"With another death reported on Monday, this marks the 30th fatality in Indore due to contaminated water supplied by the municipal corporation," Patwari told reporters.
He accused authorities of preventing party leaders, including former Minister Sajjan Verma, from visiting Bhagirathpura households.
The planned Nyay Yatra will commence from Bada Ganpati Chouraha and conclude at the statue of Ahilya Bai Holkar at Rajwada. The march aims to seek justice for the families of the deceased and pay tributes in every ward of the city.
Patwari described the incident as "premeditated murder" rather than mere negligence, calling for murder cases against those responsible.
Official figures submitted in the Indore bench of the High Court acknowledge only four deaths and over 200 hospitalisations from sewage leakage into drinking water pipelines, with thousands affected by diarrhoea and vomiting. However, residents and opposition claims suggest higher casualties, up to 17 or more in some reports.
The crisis, erupting around December 21-25, 2025, has exposed infrastructure lapses in India's cleanest city, sparking political outrage, including protests over Vijayvargiya's controversial 'ghanta' remark dismissing questions on the issue raised by a journalist.
As political tensions rise, the Nyay Yatra is set to muster public support, urging Indore residents to join in demanding transparency and justice.
--IANS
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