MP govt's reports on Indore water tragedy should be made public: Digvijaya Singh

Bhopal/Indore, Jan 16 (IANS) After Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Friday that the BJP-led state government has taken an exemplary action by suspending an IAS officer in connection with the contaminated water tragedy in Indore's Bhagirathpura, veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh accused him of failing to fix accountability against senior officials and the local BJP leaders into the incident.

Former Chief Minister Singh reiterated his demand for a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court into the contaminated water-triggered deaths of more than a dozen people. 

The Congress leader demanded for a public hearing into the matter and the state government's reports (status reports submitted by Madhya Pradesh High Court) should also be made public.

"There should be a public hearing and, in all the documents, related with the Bhagirathpura's incident should be made public so that accountable persons can be found. I believe that the Chief Minister will dare to show his power and order for a judicial inquiry into the matter," Singh said in a statement.

Digvijaya Singh, who is actively involved in the political response to the Indore water tragedy, heavily criticised the state government's action of suspending only junior officials and demanding a more thorough investigation, said that these suspensions and transfer of some junior municipal officials is just an attempt to shield primary accused persons.

He made this statement a day before Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to arrive in Indore to meet the aggrieved families in Bhagirathpura on Saturday. 

Digvijaya Singh along with state Congress Chief Jitu Patwari will also join Rahul Gandhi in Indore on Saturday.

On the other hand, Chief Minister Yadav while addressing an event in Narmadapuram district on Friday hit out at the Congress, alleging that "Rahul Gandhi is coming to Indore to play politics on deaths". 

During his speech, CM Yadav said, "Our government took strong action in the Bhagirathpura tragedy. We have suspended an IAS officer, which is an exemplary action."

The Madhya Pradesh government on Thursday submitted before the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court that it paid a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the families of 21 people in Bhagirathpura area who have died, though all the deaths were not medically corroborated to have been caused by contaminated water.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has fixed the next hearing on the matter on January 20.

--IANS

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