Rahul Gandhi Stands With Indore Water Crisis Victims, Rejects Politics Charge
Rahul Gandhi visits Indore water crisis victims, says he came to share grief, not play politics.
Congress leader and Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi visited Bhagirathpura in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday to meet families affected by the city’s contaminated drinking water crisis. Gandhi emphasized that his visit was “to share the grief” of the victims and not to engage in politics, responding to BJP allegations of politicizing the tragedy.
Addressing the media, Rahul Gandhi said, “People are dying because of contaminated water. As a Leader of the Opposition, it is my duty to raise their voice. You may call it politics, but I stand with these people.” He condemned the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government for failing to provide safe drinking water and clean air to citizens.
During his visit, Gandhi met families who lost members to water-related illnesses and assured them that the Congress party would demand increased compensation. “Many family members have died, and many have fallen ill. I promised that more support would be provided to these families,” he added, highlighting the urgent need for government accountability.
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Gandhi also criticized the state’s Smart City initiatives, questioning their effectiveness in ensuring basic necessities like safe water. “This is the new model of the Smart City — no safe water and no clean air for the people. This is not limited to Indore alone but affects other cities as well,” he said while standing alongside affected families in Bhagirathpura.
In response to the tragedy, Rahul Gandhi personally contributed Rs 1 lakh to each of the 24 families who lost members, while Madhya Pradesh Congress leaders Umang Singhar and Jitu Patwari provided additional financial support. The state government had earlier sanctioned Rs 2 lakh to 21 of the affected families, but Gandhi stressed the need for systemic reforms to prevent such incidents in the future.
The Congress leader urged the state government to identify and hold responsible officials accountable for the water crisis, reiterating that failure to ensure safe drinking water directly contributed to the loss of lives. His visit has reignited debates over public health infrastructure and governance in the state.
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