Indore (Madhya Pradesh): High drama and heated exchanges marked the presentation of the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) budget on Thursday.
The proceedings began with a tribute by the Mayor, but tensions escalated when Congress councillors Rubina Iqbal Khan and Fauzia Sheikh Aleem paid homage to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. This triggered strong protests from BJP councillors, who raised slogans of “Jai Shri Ram,” leading to chaos in the House.
Adding to the protest, Congress councillors, including Leader of Opposition members, arrived wearing black bands, while councillor Kunal Solanki expressed dissent with a T-shirt slogan reading, “Drink drain water, this is the story of municipal development.”
Regarding the protest, the Mayor said, “The Congress has also done politics on the deceased. We invited their suggestions for improving the situation in Bhagirathpura, but none of them has shown interest. It is condemnable that Congress members protested during the part of the session when homage was being paid to the deceased of the Bhagirathpura water tragedy.”
HIGH DRAMA OVER BHAGIRARTHPURA EPISODE
Residents and family members of the Bhagirathpura water tragedy victims staged a protest during the Mayor’s budget speech in the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) council hall on Thursday. Sitting in the pavilion, the protesters raised slogans demanding justice and displayed posters and billboards.
One of the family members, Sonali Kadam, said her mother-in-law passed away on Dec 24 within ten days of falling ill, despite being healthy earlier. She alleged that no assistance was provided to the family after the death. Kadam further claimed that while representatives from the Mayor’s office collected their family information, no relief followed. She also alleged that the administration demanded proof that the death was caused by water contamination. Since her mother-in-law passed away while being rushed to the hospital, Kadam said the family lacks the required documentation.
Meena Verma, the daughter-in-law of another victim, Santosh Rane, who died on Feb 7, said her entire family fell ill due to contaminated water in Bhagirathpura. While most family members recovered, her mother-in-law’s condition became critical, leading to her death after a few days. Verma added that her brother-in-law continues to suffer from a waterborne infection that has damaged his liver.
However, speaking to reporters, the Mayor said that the municipal corporation plans to provide jobs through outsourcing to eligible members of the bereaved families.
Regarding the protest, the Mayor said, “If the people of Bhagirathpura were there in the session, we welcome them to sit and attend, but it is questionable that they started a demonstration at a fixed time. It can be checked in the recordings who gave them the gesture to start a protest.”
