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After meeting those ill from contaminated water, Rahul tears into Madhya Pradesh govt

Criticising the implementation of the Smart City project, the Congress MP said Indore, promoted as a model city under the project, still lacks assured supply of clean drinking water.

3 min readBhopalUpdated: Jan 18, 2026 09:37 AM IST

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Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi pays condolences to the bereaved families of the Indore water contamination tragedy, in Indore on Saturday. (AICC/ANI Photo)

LEADER OF the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday visited the families of those who died after consuming contaminated drinking water in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area and accused the BJP government of negligence and failing in its basic responsibility to provide clean drinking water.

Gandhi visited Indore’s Bombay Hospital and met seven patients undergoing treatment after drinking contaminated water. He spoke at length with the patients and their families, inquired about their medical condition, treatment cost, and also inquired about administrative lapses.

Criticising the implementation of the Smart City project, the Congress MP said Indore, promoted as a model city under the project, still lacks assured supply of clean drinking water.

Also Read | ‘Acid’, ‘dirty water’, ‘foul stench’: Before Indore deaths, complaints fell on deaf ears; bureaucracy kept pipes from getting fixed

“This is a smart city of the new model. In this model there is no clean drinking water, the people are intimidated. In Indore, people die after drinking water. This is the urban model. This is not just happening in Indore but also in various other cities. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure clean drinking water and less pollution, which the government is not able to deliver,” he said. Gandhi demanded that the government fix accountability.

“There must be somebody who must be responsible… Somebody from the government who did all of this. The government must take responsibility for this. I spoke to the families and they told me that there is no drinking water. It is like a bandaid has now been applied. The minute the media attention is off this case, the situation will go back to where it was. The government must fulfill its responsibility, that’s all they are asking,” Gandhi said.

Also Read | ‘The administration killed them’: Six-month-old, whose parents waited decade for a boy, among 8 dead from contaminated water in Indore

He also brushed off the ruling BJP’s allegations of the Opposition “playing politics” over the tragedy.

“As a leader of the Opposition it is my duty to come here and stand by the people…You can call it whatever you want… I don’t care, I stand with them.”

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The Madhya Pradesh government’s death audit report into the Indore water contamination case, presented before the High court, revealed a total of 23 deaths in Bhagirathpura, of which at least 15 were suspected to have died after drinking contaminated water.

Political Pulse | ‘Complained for days, but no one listened’: Kailash Vijayvargiya confronted at ground zero of Indore water contamination

In its status report, the state government detailed the medical response based on hospital admissions gathered from various districts. It said, “440 patients were reported across various hospitals, eight patients were admitted to ICU, 411 patients were discharged after treatment, [and there are] 21 active patients across hospitals.”

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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