New Delhi, Jan 3: Bhopal Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti has strongly criticised the state government and Indore mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava over the contaminated water tragedy in Indore that has so far claimed 10 lives, the Times of India reported. Four days after the incident, Bharti said the tragedy has “shamed and disgraced our state, our government and our entire system.”
Calling it a “maha-paap” (great sin), she demanded “prayaschit” (atonement) and said the government must apologise to the affected families and ensure strict punishment for all those responsible, at every level.
Referring to Indore’s reputation as the country’s cleanest city, Bharti said it now stands exposed with its “ugliness, filth and poisoned water,” which has taken several lives, with the death toll still rising. She also criticised the compensation announced by the government, saying the value of a human life cannot be fixed at Rs 2 lakh, as families suffer lifelong grief. In a post on X, Bharti said the incident was a “testing time” for Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. She also targeted Indore mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava over his statement that civic officials do not listen to him. “Who is saying that he could not have his way in the contaminated water case? If you cannot get things done, why are you occupying that post, and why do you consume packaged drinking water?” Bharti wrote. The incident has triggered widespread outrage, with growing demands for accountability and action against those responsible for the lapse.