INDORE: Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya lost his temper while responding to media questions on the contaminated drinking water incident in Indore's Bhagirathpura area and used an objectionable word on camera.
As the controversy escalated, the MP cabinet minister expressed regret over his remark. The opposition Congress demanded his resignation, accusing BJP leaders in the state of arrogance.
Bhagirathpura falls under Vijayvargiya's Indore-1 assembly constituency.
Health department data shows four deaths due to a diarrhoea outbreak linked to contaminated water in the area, while 212 patients required hospitalisation. Fifty patients have been discharged after recovery.
Vijayvargiya, the state's urban development and housing minister, initially answered questions calmly while interacting with the media on Wednesday night.
However, when asked why several patients from Bhagirathpura had not received refunds for bills paid to private hospitals and why proper drinking water arrangements had not been made for residents, he suddenly lost his temper.
The senior BJP leader said, Leave it, don't ask free (unnecessary) questions.
An argument then broke out between Vijayvargiya and a journalist who had raised the question, following which the minister used an objectionable word.
After the video of the interaction went viral on social media, Vijayvargiya issued a statement expressing regret. My team and I have been working continuously in the affected area for the past two days without sleep to improve the situation.
My people are suffering due to contaminated water, and some have lost their lives. In this state of deep grief, my words came out wrong on a media question. I express my regret for this. However, I will not rest until my people are completely safe and healthy, he said.
Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee president Jitu Patwari shared the video on social media, claiming that deaths due to toxic water in Indore had risen from eight to 10.
He accused BJP leaders of arrogance and demanded that Chief Minister Mohan Yadav seek Vijayvargiya's resignation on moral grounds.
CM Yadav on Wednesday described the diarrhoea outbreak caused by contaminated drinking water in the Bhagirthpura area as an "emergency-like situation" and assured strict action against those responsible.
He said 212 patients were hospitalised, of whom 50 had been discharged after recovery.