Congress Leader Supriya Shrinate Condemns Government Over Indore Water Tragedy
Congress national spokesperson and social media chairperson Supriya Shrinate launched a scathing attack on both central and state governments on Wednesday regarding the Bhagirathpura water tragedy in Indore. She characterized the incident not as mere administrative negligence but as a profound system failure that highlights critical governance shortcomings.
Development Claims Versus Ground Reality
During a press conference held in Indore, Shrinate drew a sharp contrast between the government's ambitious Viksit Bharat (Developed India) rhetoric and the tragic reality unfolding in the city. "On one hand, the government makes grand claims of Viksit Bharat, but on the other, people in Indore are dying after drinking poisonous water," she stated emphatically. "Development claims become utterly meaningless if the government cannot ensure the most basic necessity for its citizens: clean and safe drinking water."
Questioning the Jal Jeevan Mission
The Congress spokesperson raised serious questions about the implementation and efficacy of the flagship Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide tap water connections to all rural households. Shrinate alleged a significant disparity between allocated funds and actual expenditure. "Out of the Rs 68,000 crore allocated for the Jal Jeevan Mission, only approximately Rs 17,000 crore has been spent so far," she claimed. "This indicates that the government is more preoccupied with paper schemes and announcements rather than channeling funds effectively into essential public facilities and infrastructure."
She further pointed to a pattern of neglect, referencing similar water contamination incidents in Noida and Gujarat. "Despite these recurring tragedies, the system appears to have learned no lessons. The same failures are being repeated, endangering lives across different regions," Shrinate added.
Demands for Accountability and Justice
Reaffirming the Congress party's commitment to securing justice for the victims, Shrinate presented a series of specific demands:
- The immediate resignation of the MLA representing the Bhagirathpura area.
- The filing of a murder case (FIR) against officials whose lack of supervision and negligence directly contributed to the tragedy.
- Financial assistance of Rs 1 crore to the family of each deceased person as compensation and support.
Tarnished Image of India's Cleanest City
Shrinate emphasized that the high death toll from the water tragedy has severely tarnished the image of Indore, which has consistently been awarded the title of India's cleanest city. She argued that the incident exposes deep-seated shortcomings within the Indore Municipal Corporation and the public health engineering department, revealing a gap between surface-level accolades and fundamental public health safeguards.
"This is not just an isolated incident of negligence; it is a symptom of a larger systemic breakdown where infrastructure maintenance and public safety are being compromised," she concluded, urging immediate and comprehensive corrective measures.
