Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday visited Indore to meet families affected by a severe outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea allegedly caused by contaminated drinking water. The tragedy, reported from the Bhagirathpura area, has claimed multiple lives over the past month and triggered sharp political reactions in Madhya Pradesh.

Soon after arriving in the city, Gandhi visited Bombay Hospital, where he met patients undergoing treatment and interacted with their family members. Accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitendra (Jitu) Patwari, he later visited Bhagirathpura and offered condolences to families who lost loved ones, assuring them of his support and solidarity.

Addressing the media, Gandhi criticised the state government for failing to fulfil its basic responsibility of providing clean drinking water. Questioning Indore’s reputation as a “smart city,” he said the incident exposed serious flaws in urban governance, adding that the absence of safe water had led to avoidable deaths and suffering.

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The Congress leader demanded accountability and compensation for the victims, stating that negligence on the part of the authorities had created the conditions for the tragedy. He emphasised that access to clean water and air is a fundamental duty of the government and pledged to raise the issue both politically and institutionally.

The incident has intensified political tensions in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav accused the Congress of politicising a humanitarian crisis, asserting that the government had acted sensitively and taken all possible steps to assist the affected families. Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya also defended Indore’s development record, calling the episode a temporary challenge.

According to residents, at least 24 people have died in the outbreak, while the state government has officially reported seven deaths, including an infant. A death audit by a government medical college linked several fatalities to the outbreak, and compensation of ₹2 lakh each has been paid to affected families, even as demands for transparency and accountability continue to grow.

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