Indore, Jan 14 (IANS) Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, will be visiting Madhya Pradesh’s Indore on January 17 and will meet residents of Bhagirathpura area where nearly two dozen people died due to consumption of contaminated water in the past few weeks.

During his visit, LoP Rahul Gandhi will meet families affected by the tragedy as a show of solidarity, Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) stated, confirming the report in a statement on Wednesday evening.

During Rahul Gandhi’s visit, the Madhya Pradesh Congress will organise a massive protest in Indore to highlight the lapses that resulted in the tragedy. All senior party leaders from the state, including PCC chief Jitu Patwari and LoP in the State Assembly Umang Singhar will join the protest.

“A statewide protest will be organised across Madhya Pradesh on January 17, during which, Congress workers will hold sit-ins at Mahatma Gandhi’s statues,” the MP media cell told IANS on Wednesday.

Rahul Gandhi’s arrival is likely to heat up politics in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, and an indication came on Wednesday when the state BJP leadership, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav launched an attack on the Congress, accusing it of playing politics.

While addressing a programme in Indore, Chief Minister Yadav stated that the government has realised the pain of people of Bhagirathpura and taken every possible step to provide help to the affected people.

“It is unfortunate that Congress takes disasters as an opportunity for politics. We have taken the issue very seriously and felt the pain with sensitivity. I would also advise them to raise the issue with a sense of positivity. We would welcome your suggestions. But if you play politics during a disaster, the people of Indore won’t forgive you,” Yadav said while addressing the AMRUT 2.0 programme in Indore.

Meanwhile, the state’s Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is also a local leader from Indore and Bhagirathpura falls under his Assembly constituency (Indore-1), also slammed the Congress for questioning Indore’s claim as the cleanest city in the country.

Describing the contamination incident as a challenging time, Vijayvargiya said, “Challenges will come and go, and we will have to face them. Those who are protesting here in Indore, I can tell them what the BJP has done for the development of Indore.”

–IANS

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