By Special Correspondent
Bhopal: A lathi-charge by the district administration on Congress workers and local residents who were staging a peaceful demonstration in Shahdol to demand access to clean drinking water has triggered sharp political reactions, with the Opposition accusing the BJP government of insensitivity and repression. In protest against the alleged police action, a large public rally was organised under the leadership of Jeetu Patwari, drawing significant crowds from Shahdol and adjoining areas.
Addressing the gathering, Patwari alleged that the BJP government had failed over the past two decades to ensure even a glass of safe drinking water for the people of the State. He said that when citizens raise demands for basic necessities such as water, the government responds with batons instead of solutions, terming it an example of authoritarian governance rather than democratic rule.
He further claimed that the crisis of potable water was deepening across Shahdol and other parts of Madhya Pradesh. Youth unemployment, farmers’ distress and alleged illegal sand mining were cited as additional concerns. Patwari also levelled allegations against the state government, asserting that law and order had deteriorated and that the administration was acting under political pressure.
He warned that the Congress would pursue the matter “from the streets to the Assembly” and vowed accountability for the alleged excesses.
