Indore water contamination: Vijayvargiya apologises after 'insensitive' remark row

Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya has posted a public apology following a verbal spat with a reporter on Wednesday (December 31) when he lost his temper while being questioned about the incident of contaminated drinking water in Bhagirathpura area of Indore that led to the loss of at least seven lives. Several more also fell ill and were undergoing treatment at hospitals.

In a Hindi post on X later in the day, he conceded that his "words came out wrong in response to a media question" and he expressed his regret for it. "Until my people are completely safe and healthy, I will not sit quietly," he added.

Vijayvargiya, who used an objectionable word on camera, expressed regret after the controversy escalated. The Congress, which is in Opposition in MP, demanded his resignation, accusing leaders of the state's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of arrogance.

Water-borne deaths

Bhagirathpura falls under Vijayvargiya’s Indore-1 Assembly constituency, which is why the minister has faced more questions. Reports show seven deaths and counting, caused by a diarrhoea outbreak that was linked to contaminated potable water.

Also read: Indore water contamination: Death toll reaches seven, over 100 hospitalised

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday described the diarrhoea outbreak as an "emergency-like situation", assuring strict action against those responsible.

He said up to 212 of the affected people required hospitalisation, while 50 were discharged after recovery.

Line of questioning

Vijayvargiya, who holds Madhya Pradesh’s urban development and housing portfolio, initially answered the media's questions on the tragedy calmly, but lost his cool when pressed to answer questions on the state government’s accountability in the incident.

Also read: MP: 7 dead, 150 sick with diarrhoea, water-borne diseases in Mandla

The reporter initially questioned him on the responsibility of the incident lying on him and the state's Water Resources Minister Tulsi Silawat, and why action was being considered only against junior staff and not against ministers or senior officials like him.

When he was pushed further and asked why several patients from Bhagirathpura had not received refunds for bills paid to private hospitals and why proper drinking water arrangements had not been made for residents, he let out a verbal mishap.

The unfortunate remark

The senior BJP leader said in Hindi, “Leave it, don’t ask pointless (unnecessary) questions.” After which, an argument then broke out between Vijayvargiya and the reporter who had raised the question.

The reporter in the viral video chastised the minister on the type of language he was using during the argument and accused him of trivialising a serious matter.

Viral regret

The interaction quickly blew up and went viral on social media, after which Vijayvargiya issued a statement expressing regret.

His post on X read, “My team and I have been continuously working to improve the situation in the affected area without sleep for the past two days. My people are suffering from contaminated water, and some have left us; in this state of deep sorrow, my words came out wrong in response to a media question. For this, I express my regret. But until my people are completely safe and healthy, I will not sit quietly."

In response to the comments made by Vijayvargiya, the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee president Jitu Patwari shared the video on social media, claiming that “deaths due to toxic water in Indore had risen from eight to 10.”

He also accused BJP leaders of arrogance and demanded that Chief Minister Yadav seek Vijayvargiya’s resignation on moral grounds.

(With agency inputs)