A major controversy erupted in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore after at least 10 people died and over 200 were hospitalised due to consumption of contaminated drinking water in the Bhagirathpura area.
The situation took a political turn on Wednesday when Urban Development and Housing Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya reacted sharply to a media query from NDTV regarding accountability and relief measures. His remarks, captured on camera, quickly went viral on social media, drawing widespread criticism.
Bhagirathpura falls under Vijayvargiya’s own विधानसभा क्षेत्र, Indore-1. Health officials confirmed that the deaths were caused by a severe outbreak of diarrhoea linked to polluted water supply. Of the 212 hospitalised patients, around 50 have been discharged after treatment, while others remain under medical care.
Later the same day, the minister issued a public apology on X (formerly Twitter), expressing regret over his choice of words. In his post, Vijayvargiya stated that he and his team had been continuously working in the affected areas for the past two days and that the tragedy had deeply impacted him.
He acknowledged that his response to the media was inappropriate given the gravity of the situation and emphasised that his focus remains on restoring safe drinking water and ensuring the health and safety of residents.
Authorities have initiated emergency measures, including water supply correction, medical camps, and an investigation into the source of contamination. The incident has raised serious questions about urban water safety in a city often cited as one of India’s cleanest.
