In the wake of a deadly water contamination crisis in Indore that has claimed at least eight lives, Madhya Pradesh Urban Administration Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya sparked controversy with a dismissive response to an NDTV journalists questions, calling them useless before issuing a public apology. The confrontation unfolded amid growing public anger over sewage leaking into drinking water supplies in the Bhagirathpura area, Vijayvargiyas own constituency. Over 160 people have been hospitalized, with families reporting unpaid medical bills running into tens of thousands of rupees despite government pledges for free care.

NDTVs Anurag Dwary pressed the minister on why only junior officials had been suspended while senior leaders like Vijayvargiya and Water Resources Minister Tulsi Silawat faced no accountability. The visibly frustrated minister replied, Chodo yaar, phokat prashn mat puchiye – essentially, Dont ask useless questions – and later dropped the slang term ghanta when challenged further. The exchange, recorded on video, spread rapidly across social media, drawing criticism for the ministers tone during a humanitarian crisis.

Hours later, Vijayvargiya took to X (formerly Twitter) to express regret, stating his words were a slip amid the deep sorrow of the situation. He emphasized his teams round-the-clock efforts and promised resolution for affected residents. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has announced Rs 2 lakh compensation for victims families, suspended three Public Health Engineering Department officials, and ordered a three-member probe committee to investigate the pipeline failure.

Indores reputation as Indias cleanest city took a hit with this incident, highlighting vulnerabilities in urban infrastructure. Past similar controversies involving Madhya Pradesh ministers remind us how quickly public scrutiny demands course correction. Residents urge faster systemic fixes like routine infrastructure audits to avert future tragedies. Updates on the probe and relief efforts are expected soon.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from NDTV.