The Madhya Pradesh Congress strongly criticized the BJP government at a joint press conference in Bhopal. Former Minister PC Sharma, Bhopal City District Congress Committee President Praveen Saxena, and State Spokesperson Rahul Raj addressed the media. Praveen Saxena labeled the Bhagirathpura incident as “government-sponsored murders,” citing criminal negligence and administrative failure by the BJP government.
In response, the Madhya Pradesh Congress announced a state-level Nyay Yatra (march for justice) scheduled for Sunday, January 11, 2026, at 11 a.m. The protest will commence from Bada Ganpati Temple and proceed to Rajwada Chowk near the statue of Maa Ahilyabai Holkar in Indore. The party’s demands include the removal of the Indore mayor, Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya’s resignation, and increased compensation for the victims’ families.
The Congress leaders also called for a judicial inquiry into the Bhagirathpura incident and the filing of culpable homicide cases against those responsible. PC Sharma criticized the BJP government and former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for the state’s existing debt and the new 60:40 ratio in MNREGA expenditure. He highlighted pending e-KYC verifications for MNREGA workers and described the policies as anti-labour, emphasizing the need for their withdrawal.
Rahul Raj accused Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan of spearheading the replacement of MNREGA with a new act, which he deemed an attack on the poor’s right to work. Raj criticized the provision to suspend work during the harvest season, alleging it would lead to forced migration and exploitation of laborers. He questioned potential delays in MNREGA workers’ wages and accused Chouhan of contradicting Gandhi’s ideals while undermining laborers and farmers’ rights.
