Should MP Govt's Reports on Indore Water Tragedy Be Public?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Indore water tragedy has raised questions about government accountability.
- Digvijaya Singh calls for a judicial inquiry into the incident.
- Compensation of Rs 2 lakh has been paid to the families of the deceased.
- Next court hearing is set for January 20.
- Political leaders are engaging with affected families.
Bhopal/Indore, Jan 16 (NationPress) Following comments from Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who stated on Friday that the BJP-led state government has demonstrated commendable action by suspending an IAS officer related to the water contamination crisis in Indore's Bhagirathpura area, veteran Congress figure and former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh has criticized him for not holding senior officials and local BJP leaders accountable for the incident.
Singh has renewed his call for a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge from the Madhya Pradesh High Court concerning the deaths of over a dozen individuals attributed to tainted water.
The Congress leader insists on the necessity of a public hearing regarding the situation, emphasizing that the state government’s reports (status updates submitted to the Madhya Pradesh High Court) should be disclosed to the public.
"A public hearing is essential, and all documents related to the Bhagirathpura incident should be accessible to ensure accountability. I trust that the Chief Minister will exhibit the courage to initiate a judicial inquiry into this matter," Singh remarked in a statement.
Digvijaya Singh, who is actively engaged in addressing the Indore water tragedy, heavily condemned the state government’s decision to suspend only junior personnel, asserting that these actions merely serve to protect the primary accused.
This statement comes a day prior to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s scheduled visit to Indore to meet the affected families in Bhagirathpura.
Digvijaya Singh, alongside state Congress Chief Jitu Patwari, will also accompany Rahul Gandhi during his visit on Saturday.
Conversely, Chief Minister Yadav, while speaking at an event in Narmadapuram district on Friday, criticized the Congress party, alleging that "Rahul Gandhi is visiting Indore to politicize the deaths".
In his address, CM Yadav proclaimed, "Our government has taken decisive action in the Bhagirathpura tragedy. We have suspended an IAS officer, which is a noteworthy step."
The Madhya Pradesh government informed the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Thursday that it had compensated the families of 21 deceased individuals in the Bhagirathpura area with Rs 2 lakh, although not all deaths were medically verified as being due to contaminated water.
The next hearing on this matter has been scheduled by the Madhya Pradesh High Court for January 20.