NEW DELHI: The opposition on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government over the Indore water contamination incident, accusing it of misgovernance, hiding the actual death toll and failing to provide basic amenities, even as the state administration maintained that four deaths had been officially confirmed so far.AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari separately slammed the state government, alleging negligence, administrative arrogance and selective action, while local residents continued to claim that the number of deaths linked to contaminated drinking water in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area was higher than what the government has acknowledged. Cleanliness Crown Cracks As Indore Loses 13 Lives To Poisoned Water And Administrative Lapses Opposition alleges cover-up, misgovernanceReacting to the incident, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the focus of the BJP governments was misplaced.“The focus is only on bulldozers and demolitions, while basic amenities like clean drinking water are not provided, exposing a complete failure of the Madhya Pradesh government. In 2026, while claims of becoming a ‘Vishwaguru’ are being made, people are dying after drinking contaminated water. BJP leaders make aggressive statements knowing that no action will be taken, even though similar remarks by others would have led to strict laws being invoked,” Owaisi said.He also referred to other recent incidents to allege double standards, saying, “Distributing swords amounts to taking the law into one’s own hands, yet action is taken only later. The Bareilly incident is being cited to highlight alleged double standards, with BJP governments accused of allowing vigilante groups to operate freely.”Congress claims deaths being hiddenMadhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari accused the state government of hiding the actual death toll and demanded criminal action against those responsible.Speaking to ANI, Patwari said, “Indore has consistently given MPs, MLAs and Mayor to BJP but they (BJP) have given poisoned water (referring to contamination issue). Now, the question arises that there are reports of a total of 13 deaths but the Chief Minister is saying only 4 deaths occurred. Is hiding the figures of death the responsibility of a Chief Minister? This is a murderer government, which led to the 25 children recently dying in the cough syrup case.”He added, “This government is responsible for children being bitten by rats at MY Hospital in Indore. Now, 13 people are dying after contaminated drinking water issues. Instead of trying to hide this, why don’t you take proper decisions.”Patwari demanded that culpable homicide cases be registered against officials and the Indore mayor.“Your minister misbehaves with journalists when they ask questions. Should that minister be removed or not? Should he resign or not. Chief Minister, where has your spine gone? Why don’t you want to punish responsible officials?” he asked.The Congress leader also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for each bereaved family and said an independent in-charge minister should be appointed for Indore.What officials say about the outbreakAccording to the state administration, at least four deaths have been officially confirmed so far, while more than 149 people were hospitalised after consuming contaminated water in Bhagirathpura.Indore District Magistrate Shivam Verma said around 149 people were undergoing treatment and their condition was being monitored. Survey teams have covered nearly 2,700 houses so far, with ANM and ASHA workers conducting door-to-door checks and distributing ORS packets.A preliminary assessment indicated that drainage water entered the drinking water pipeline due to leakage, triggering the outbreak.Conflicting claims over death tollConfusion persists over the number of fatalities. While Chief Minister Mohan Yadav earlier put the death toll at four, Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava later said seven people had died. Local residents have claimed that 13 people, including a six-month-old child, lost their lives.Urban development and housing minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, whose Indore-1 assembly constituency includes Bhagirathpura, said, “Administrative officials have informed me that four people have died due to this outbreak, but there is information here (in Bhagirathpura) about eight to nine deaths. We will verify this information and if it is found to be correct, financial assistance will be provided to the families of the deceased as announced by CM Mohan Yadav.”CM assures strict action, announces reliefChief minister Mohan Yadav described the situation as “emergency-like” and said the government would not tolerate negligence.“A problem with the drinking water supply came to light, resulting in a large number of people falling ill with vomiting and diarrhoea and being admitted to various hospitals. Upon becoming aware of the situation, immediate action was taken,” Yadav said.He added, “Of these, 2,456 suspected cases were identified, and 212 were admitted to hospitals. 50 patients have recovered and been discharged, and 162 patients are still admitted.”The chief minister announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and free treatment for all affected people. He also said strict action had already been taken against negligent officials.Two officials have been suspended and one sub-engineer dismissed from service. A three-member committee headed by an IAS officer has been constituted to investigate the incident.Kailash Vijayvargiya remark sparks fresh controversyThe political row intensified after minister Kailash Vijayvargiya lost his temper while responding to media questions and used an objectionable word on camera. The Congress demanded his resignation, accusing BJP leaders of arrogance.After the video went viral, Vijayvargiya expressed regret, saying, “In this state of deep grief, my words came out wrong on a media question. I express my regret for this. However, I will not rest until my people are completely safe and healthy.”For now, while water supply has been restored after repairing the leakage and samples sent for testing, the incident has triggered a major political confrontation in Madhya Pradesh, with no consensus yet on the final death toll.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos180 Kmph While You Sleep! India’s Latest Vande Bharat Sleeper Marks New Era. 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NEW DELHI: The opposition on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government over the Indore water contamination incident, accusing it of misgovernance, hiding the actual death toll and failing to provide basic amenities, even as the state administration maintained that four deaths had been officially confirmed so far.AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari separately slammed the state government, alleging negligence, administrative arrogance and selective action, while local residents continued to claim that the number of deaths linked to contaminated drinking water in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area was higher than what the government has acknowledged.
Opposition alleges cover-up, misgovernance
Reacting to the incident, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the focus of the BJP governments was misplaced.“The focus is only on bulldozers and demolitions, while basic amenities like clean drinking water are not provided, exposing a complete failure of the Madhya Pradesh government. In 2026, while claims of becoming a ‘Vishwaguru’ are being made, people are dying after drinking contaminated water. BJP leaders make aggressive statements knowing that no action will be taken, even though similar remarks by others would have led to strict laws being invoked,” Owaisi said.He also referred to other recent incidents to allege double standards, saying, “Distributing swords amounts to taking the law into one’s own hands, yet action is taken only later. The Bareilly incident is being cited to highlight alleged double standards, with BJP governments accused of allowing vigilante groups to operate freely.”
Congress claims deaths being hidden
Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari accused the state government of hiding the actual death toll and demanded criminal action against those responsible.Speaking to ANI, Patwari said, “Indore has consistently given MPs, MLAs and Mayor to BJP but they (BJP) have given poisoned water (referring to contamination issue). Now, the question arises that there are reports of a total of 13 deaths but the Chief Minister is saying only 4 deaths occurred. Is hiding the figures of death the responsibility of a Chief Minister? This is a murderer government, which led to the 25 children recently dying in the cough syrup case.”He added, “This government is responsible for children being bitten by rats at MY Hospital in Indore. Now, 13 people are dying after contaminated drinking water issues. Instead of trying to hide this, why don’t you take proper decisions.”Patwari demanded that culpable homicide cases be registered against officials and the Indore mayor.“Your minister misbehaves with journalists when they ask questions. Should that minister be removed or not? Should he resign or not. Chief Minister, where has your spine gone? Why don’t you want to punish responsible officials?” he asked.The Congress leader also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for each bereaved family and said an independent in-charge minister should be appointed for Indore.
What officials say about the outbreak
According to the state administration, at least four deaths have been officially confirmed so far, while more than 149 people were hospitalised after consuming contaminated water in Bhagirathpura.Indore District Magistrate Shivam Verma said around 149 people were undergoing treatment and their condition was being monitored. Survey teams have covered nearly 2,700 houses so far, with ANM and ASHA workers conducting door-to-door checks and distributing ORS packets.A preliminary assessment indicated that drainage water entered the drinking water pipeline due to leakage, triggering the outbreak.
Conflicting claims over death toll
Confusion persists over the number of fatalities. While Chief Minister Mohan Yadav earlier put the death toll at four, Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava later said seven people had died. Local residents have claimed that 13 people, including a six-month-old child, lost their lives.Urban development and housing minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, whose Indore-1 assembly constituency includes Bhagirathpura, said, “Administrative officials have informed me that four people have died due to this outbreak, but there is information here (in Bhagirathpura) about eight to nine deaths. We will verify this information and if it is found to be correct, financial assistance will be provided to the families of the deceased as announced by CM Mohan Yadav.”
CM assures strict action, announces relief
Chief minister Mohan Yadav described the situation as “emergency-like” and said the government would not tolerate negligence.“A problem with the drinking water supply came to light, resulting in a large number of people falling ill with vomiting and diarrhoea and being admitted to various hospitals. Upon becoming aware of the situation, immediate action was taken,” Yadav said.He added, “Of these, 2,456 suspected cases were identified, and 212 were admitted to hospitals. 50 patients have recovered and been discharged, and 162 patients are still admitted.”The chief minister announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and free treatment for all affected people. He also said strict action had already been taken against negligent officials.Two officials have been suspended and one sub-engineer dismissed from service. A three-member committee headed by an IAS officer has been constituted to investigate the incident.
Kailash Vijayvargiya remark sparks fresh controversy
The political row intensified after minister Kailash Vijayvargiya lost his temper while responding to media questions and used an objectionable word on camera. The Congress demanded his resignation, accusing BJP leaders of arrogance.After the video went viral, Vijayvargiya expressed regret, saying, “In this state of deep grief, my words came out wrong on a media question. I express my regret for this. However, I will not rest until my people are completely safe and healthy.”For now, while water supply has been restored after repairing the leakage and samples sent for testing, the incident has triggered a major political confrontation in Madhya Pradesh, with no consensus yet on the final death toll.
