Uma Bharti slams MP government; BJP leaves Vijayvargiya to fend for himself

Veteran BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti may no longer be active in electoral politics, but her words continue to carry weight in the state—especially at a time when the majority of top BJP leaders have chosen silence over the deaths linked to contaminated drinking water in Indore.

Launching a sharp attack on the BJP’s Madhya Pradesh government, Bharti described the deadly incident as a “shame” for the state and said it was a crucial test of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s leadership. In a series of social media posts, the former Union minister for water resources said the deaths caused by polluted water had “disgraced our state, our government and our entire system.”

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“There is no explanation for such sins—only atonement or punishment!” she wrote, demanding a public apology to the affected families and “maximum punishment” for all those responsible, “from bottom to top.”

Referring to Indore’s repeated ranking as the country’s cleanest city, Bharti said it was deeply alarming that “such ugliness, filth and poisoned water” had claimed lives and continued to affect residents. She said the deaths due to contaminated drinking water at the end of 2025 had shamed and tarnished the state, its government and the system as a whole.

“In a city that has received the award for being the cleanest, there is so much ugliness, filth and poisoned water that has swallowed—and continues to swallow—lives. The death toll is rising. The price of a life is not two lakh rupees, because families remain immersed in grief for the rest of their lives,” Bharti wrote. “There must be severe atonement for this sin. All the culprits, from top to bottom, must be given maximum punishment. This is the hour of the test for Mohan Yadav ji.”

Coming amid sustained opposition attacks and widespread public criticism over the shocking incident, Bharti’s public rebuke is significant and embarrassing for the ruling BJP. This rare criticism from a party veteran has intensified scrutiny not only on the Mohan Yadav government but also on senior BJP minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is facing backlash for crass remarks related to the Indore water crisis.

There have also been demands for his resignation.

As on date, Vijayvargiya has effectively been left to fend for himself by the party leadership, say sources.

Known for courting controversies in the past, the senior BJP leader from Indore triggered a political storm after using an objectionable word on camera when questioned by a television journalist about the water contamination crisis in his constituency.

Though later he expressed regret, saying his “words came out wrong in response to a media question,” party leaders agree that the damage done to the party’s image by his words will take time to repair.

Vijayvargiya has reportedly been asked to mend and resolve the Indore crisis swiftly.

The former Indore Mayor and multiple-time legislator, he currently holds key portfolios in the Madhya Pradesh government and is also known for his proximity to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.