Addressing the protest, AICC secretary and Indore division in-charge Usha Naidu said fear had spread among residents regarding the safety of drinking water in the city. She stated that people were increasingly anxious about where and how to access safe water, reflecting a serious erosion of public trust in the administration.
Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee president Jitu Patwari said responsibility must be fixed for the incident, asserting that it was not an accident but a consequence of systemic failure. He alleged that corruption and administrative apathy had turned drinking water into a lethal threat, resulting in the loss of lives in at least 32 families. Patwari questioned whether the government’s announced compensation of ₹2 lakh per family was sufficient and urged citizens to hold elected representatives accountable.
The protest was organised by the Indore City Congress Committee and the District Congress Committee. City Congress president Chintu Chouksey and District Congress president Vipin Wankhede outlined a set of key demands, including ₹1 crore compensation for each affected family, a government job for one member of each family, and the resignation of senior minister Kailash Vijayvargiya and Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav. The party also demanded the registration of criminal cases against all officials and agencies found responsible for the contamination.
A large number of residents from Baghirathpura joined the protest, sharing their grievances and calling for justice. Several participants said the incident had exposed deep flaws in the city’s water management system and the lack of effective monitoring mechanisms.
Former minister Sajjan Singh Verma alleged that minister Kailash Vijayvargiya bore direct responsibility for the incident and should step down. He also criticised the government’s response, noting that despite the Chief Minister visiting Indore twice after the tragedy, he did not meet the affected families.
In a move aimed at increasing transparency, Patwari announced that the Congress would begin daily testing of drinking water across Indore. He said two mobile water testing vehicles would be deployed to cover every ward, with test reports made public to ensure accountability and restore public confidence.
