Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday visited Madhya Pradesh to meet families affected by the recent water contamination tragedy in Indore, launching a sharp attack on the BJP-led state and central governments and demanding accountability, punishment for those responsible, and proper compensation for the victims. His visit comes amid growing anger and confusion over the death toll, the cause of the contamination, and the state government’s handling of the crisis.

The contamination incident, which occurred earlier this month in Indore’s Bhagirathpura locality, triggered a severe outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea among residents after polluted water entered the local supply. While residents claim that more than 20 people have died due to the incident, the Madhya Pradesh government has officially acknowledged only six to seven deaths so far, a discrepancy that has intensified public outrage and opposition criticism.

Rahul Gandhi began his visit by going to Bombay Hospital in Indore, where several victims of the contamination were admitted. He met patients undergoing treatment and spoke to their families, listening to their accounts of how quickly the illness spread and how helpless many felt as their loved ones deteriorated within hours of consuming contaminated water. From the hospital, Gandhi proceeded to Bhagirathpura, the locality worst hit by the crisis, where he interacted directly with grieving families and local residents.

Speaking to reporters after the visit, Gandhi accused the state government of negligence and said the tragedy could not be dismissed as an unfortunate accident. “Those who committed this—there must be someone responsible. Someone in the government has to take responsibility,” he said. “This happened because of the government’s negligence. The affected families should be given compensation and full assistance for treatment costs.”

Gandhi stressed that accountability was non-negotiable, arguing that basic amenities such as clean drinking water fall squarely under the government’s responsibility. He demanded that officials responsible for lapses in water safety and monitoring be identified and punished, rather than the issue being buried under bureaucratic reports and contested figures.

Addressing criticism that his visit was politically motivated, Gandhi rejected the charge outright. “People died here, and people are not getting clean water here. I am here to highlight their issues. This is my job. This is my responsibility,” he said. “You can call it whatever you want. Call it politics if you wish. I don’t care. I am standing with these people.”

In a strongly worded post on X, Gandhi widened his attack to include the BJP’s governance model at both the state and central levels. Targeting what the BJP often describes as its “double engine” governments, he wrote, “The BJP’s double engine government’s new smart city model has poison in the water, poison in the air, poison in the medicine, and poison in the land. And if you demand answers, they’ll roll in the bulldozer.”

The remark was a pointed reference not only to the Indore incident but also to broader opposition allegations that the BJP prioritises infrastructure optics and enforcement-heavy governance over public health, environmental safety, and accountability. Gandhi’s comments sought to frame the Indore tragedy as symptomatic of deeper structural failures rather than an isolated lapse.

He reiterated that the government must immediately take responsibility for the deaths, ensure free and timely treatment for all those affected, and provide adequate compensation to families who lost members. According to Gandhi, monetary relief alone was insufficient unless accompanied by systemic corrections to prevent such incidents from recurring.

The voices of the victims and residents echoed this sentiment. Manish Pawar, a resident of Indore whose mother died after consuming contaminated water in Bhagirathpura, said Gandhi’s visit provided some emotional support, even if it could not undo the loss. “He came to help the victims and to offer reassurance and comfort,” Pawar said. “He provided a cheque of ₹1 lakh as financial assistance. About 20 families were present. He said he would make efforts to ensure clean water and other facilities are provided to us.”

Another resident, Shanu Prajapat, whose mother-in-law died suddenly during the outbreak, highlighted the limits of compensation in the face of ongoing hardship. “We weren’t even able to reach the hospital in time,” she said. “Rahul Gandhi said he will support us. We were given a cheque of ₹1 lakh, but what can that do? Human life has no price.”

Prajapat also pointed out that while the state government had provided compensation of ₹2 lakh to affected families, the more pressing issue remained unresolved. “We need water,” she said. “For how long can we keep purchasing clean water? Compensation doesn’t solve the problem if we still don’t have safe water to drink.”

Residents of Bhagirathpura have consistently claimed that at least 24 people died due to the contaminated supply, a figure far higher than the official count. The Madhya Pradesh government, in a status report submitted to the High Court, has pegged the death toll at seven, including a five-month-old infant. This gap between official figures and residents’ claims has raised serious questions about transparency, record-keeping, and the criteria used to attribute deaths to the contamination.

The state government has maintained that investigations are ongoing and that measures have been taken to prevent further contamination. However, opposition leaders argue that the response has been reactive and defensive rather than proactive and compassionate. Gandhi’s visit has added political pressure on the BJP government to not only clarify the facts but also address the underlying failures in water infrastructure and public health oversight.

For the Congress, the Indore tragedy has become a focal point in its broader critique of BJP governance, particularly in states where the party holds power with a strong majority. By physically visiting affected areas and meeting victims’ families, Gandhi has sought to position himself as a leader willing to confront uncomfortable realities on the ground.

For residents of Bhagirathpura, however, the immediate concerns remain painfully basic: access to clean drinking water, accountability for lost lives, and assurance that such a disaster will not strike again. As the political blame game intensifies, their demand is simple and urgent—that governance begin with safeguarding life itself.