The deaths and serious illnesses linked to contaminated drinking water in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, have sparked fresh political sparring, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) warning that similar lapses could threaten residents in Delhi and other major cities governed by the BJP.
Calling the Indore incident a “danger signal,” AAP national media in-charge Anurag Dhanda said people must remain cautious about the quality of water supplied to their homes, arguing that administrative negligence seen in Madhya Pradesh could be repeated elsewhere.
Dhanda said the tragedy exposed what he described as the BJP’s failure at every level of governance. “In Indore, the MP, MLA and councillors are from the BJP. The municipal corporation, the commissioner and the state government are all run by the BJP,” he said. “Despite having all these engines of power, 14 people have died after drinking contaminated water, hundreds are still ill, and the number of patients may increase further.”
‘Negligence Can Be Repeated’
Dhanda alleged that BJP leaders had shown little sensitivity over the deaths. “When ministers are questioned about failures in Madhya Pradesh, they resort to abusive language. From their conduct, it appears that the deaths of children caused by contaminated water do not matter to the BJP. Human lives have no value for them,” he said.
Referring to the political situation in the national capital, Dhanda added that Delhi residents should be especially vigilant. “The BJP is now in power in Delhi as well. It runs the central government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The kind of crisis people are facing in Indore due to government negligence can happen in any other city too,” he said.
He also called for oversight beyond individual states, saying central investigative agencies should examine drinking water and sewage systems in major cities to prevent similar incidents from occurring elsewhere.
‘Were Those Who Died Not Hindus?’
AAP chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar sharpened the attack, claiming authorities ignored complaints for nearly two years. “People of that ward had been complaining that the water was poisonous and that sewage was mixed with drinking water. Written complaints were submitted, yet no one woke up,” she said.
Questioning the lack of accountability, Kakkar added, “Those who died after drinking poisonous water were also Hindus. Have their screams not reached Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ears? Who has resigned, and who has been held accountable so far?”
She also criticised what she described as a gap between official claims and reality. “On one hand, the prime minister talks about a developed India. On the other, people are dying because of poisonous water and poisonous air,” she said, accusing the BJP of focusing on political manoeuvring rather than governance.