New Delhi, Jan 2 (NationPress) The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha and prominent Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday delivered a stinging critique of the BJP-led administration regarding the fatalities associated with polluted drinking water in Indore. He termed the tragedy a ‘murder of the right to life’ and accused the government of negligence, pride, and a total lack of accountability.

In a statement shared on X, LoP Gandhi remarked, “In Indore, there was no water—only poison being dispensed, while the authorities lay in slumber like Kumbhakarna.”

He observed that mourning had swept through the community, leaving the impoverished in despair. “Those whose homes have turned cold sought comfort; the government instead offered arrogance,” he lamented, condemning the remarks from BJP officials following the calamity.

The Congress leader pointed out that local residents had consistently raised alarms about dirty, foul-smelling water but claimed that officials failed to act promptly.

In a series of pressing inquiries, Rahul Gandhi questioned how sewage had infiltrated the drinking water, why the supply wasn’t immediately halted, and when accountability would be enforced against the negligent officials and leaders. “These are not mere ‘freebie’ inquiries—they are demands for accountability. Clean water is not a privilege; it is a fundamental right to life,” he stated, holding the BJP’s “double-engine government” accountable for the loss of lives.

Indore, frequently hailed as India’s cleanest city for its sanitation initiatives, is now facing a dire public health crisis. In the Bhagirathpura area, locals reported receiving foul-smelling, bitter, and discolored water from municipal pipelines. Following consumption, individuals began experiencing vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and high fever, resulting in a surge of hospital admissions.

The scenario rapidly escalated into an outbreak of waterborne illnesses. Officials confirmed at least nine deaths thus far, with approximately 200 patients receiving treatment in hospitals. Initial evaluations indicate that sewage may have contaminated the drinking water supply due to infrastructure failures, leading to this crisis.

Water pollution poses a significant global public health threat. The World Health Organization (WHO) has cautioned that consuming unsafe water can lead to severe illnesses, including bacterial gastroenteritis, cholera, typhoid, and dysentery, particularly impacting vulnerable groups.

Connecting the Indore incident to what he described as a larger pattern of mismanagement in Madhya Pradesh, LoP Gandhi stated that the state has become an “epicenter of administrative failure,” referencing fatalities linked to cough syrup in one instance, children dying from rat infestations in government hospitals in another, and now deaths caused by sewage-contaminated drinking water. He also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating, “Every time the poor perish, Modi ji, as usual, remains silent.”

Authorities have initiated an investigation into the contamination, while residents continue to demand transparency and guarantees of safe drinking water.