Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh Congress workers, on Tuesday, gathered in Indore and launched a city-wide protest after 17 people died due to contaminated water in Bhagirathpura area.
Hundreds of workers, led by PCC Chief president Jitu Patwari and Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar, scattered across all wards of the city as part of their plan.
Patwari, in the video, can be heard directing the crowd of protesting workers to not lose temper so to avoid any untoward situation.
MP High Court summons Chief Secretary
Meanwhile, the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court heard the case on Tuesday (January 6).
During the hearing, the court said that if drinking water itself is polluted, it is a very serious matter. The judges said they want to hear the Chief Secretary in this case because the problem is not limited to one area.
According to the court, the drinking water supply of the entire city is unsafe.
The High Court has directed the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh to appear virtually in the next hearing. The next hearing will be held on January 15.
Patwari said that Indore, once known worldwide for cleanliness, is now being identified by contaminated water and the city’s image has been damaged globally. He held mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava and minister Kailash Vijayvargiya responsible for the tragedy and demanded their resignation on moral grounds.
38 new cases reported
So far, 17 people have died after consuming contaminated water. Currently, 110 patients are admitted in hospitals. A total of 421 patients were hospitalised, out of which 311 have been discharged. 15 patients are undergoing treatment in the ICU.
Additionally, 38 new cases of vomiting and diarrhea have been reported. Out of these, 6 patients have been referred to Aurobindo Hospital.
People of Swachha city dying of contaminated water: Singhar
Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Umang Singhar, addressed a press conference at the Indore Press Club where he said that the people of the city are suffering due to administrative failure, delay and corruption. He stated that a city which has won the Swachhata award eight times is now facing deaths due to contaminated water and broken civic systems.
Singhar made serious allegations against Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav, claiming that a note-counting machine has been installed in the mayor’s office. He questioned why such a machine is needed and whether cash dealings are taking place with contractors. He demanded a fair and impartial investigation.
Referring to the Bhagirathpura incident, Singhar said it was not an accident but the result of years of negligence and insensitive governance. According to him, since the last week of December 2025, many people have died, hundreds have fallen seriously ill and thousands have been affected.
BJP slams Cong visit to Bhagirathpura as ‘photo-op’
The BJP criticised Congress leaders for what it called a “photo-op” during their visit to Bhagirathpura to offer condolences to families of the deceased. BJP alleged that instead of expressing genuine sympathy, Congress representatives were more focused on creating social media content to gain political mileage from the tragedy.
BJP leaders claimed that state Congress chief Jitu Patwari was holding a microphone while those accompanying him were busy recording videos and reels for social media platforms. The saffron party said such actions trivialise human suffering and accused the Congress of exploiting a sensitive situation for political advantage.
