Bhopal, Feb 17 Congress legislators, led by Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Umang Singhar, staged a protest on the second day of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly session on Tuesday over the deaths of people caused by contaminated water in Indore’s Bhagirathpura.
The Congress MLAs held a symbolic demonstration in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue within the Assembly premises, carrying bottles filled with murky water and placards.
They raised slogans against the state government, demanding justice for the victims and the immediate resignation of Urban Development and Housing Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya.
Singhar said the deaths of people in Bhagirathpura after consuming contaminated water were “extremely sad and worrying”.
He accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government of attempting to evade responsibility in the matter. The opposition leader demanded the resignation of Minister Vijayvargiya on moral grounds and called for strict action against officials found guilty.
“The Governor's address made claims of clean water, but the ground reality is different. We have put forward a proposal raising the public's voice on this issue. The government should inform us whether this will be seriously discussed. Congress party wants to discuss the matter in the House,” Singhar told IANS during the protest.
Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda, who also holds the finance portfolio, is scheduled to present the third supplementary budget for the current financial year later in the day. The outlay is expected to be around Rs 20,000 crore.
The Economic Survey will also be tabled in the House.
On Monday, the Congress demanded a white paper on the state’s economic condition.
Responding to the Opposition’s charges, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the government was ready to discuss every issue raised in the House. He also appealed to Opposition members to cooperate for the smooth conduct of the budget session.
The Congress has, meanwhile, decided to oppose the presence of three senior ministers -- Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, Urban Affairs Minister Vijayvargiya, and Tribal Welfare Minister Vijay Shah -- during the ongoing budget session.
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