CM Vijayan should have sought Minister Veena George’s resignation before going abroad: Congress

Thiruvananthapuram/Palakkad, Jul 5 (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan ought to have sought Health Minister Veena George's resignation before going abroad in view of her alleged "inefficiency", "indifference", and "grave mistakes".

The opposition Congress is seeking the Health Minister's resignation over the death of a woman in the collapse of a part of the Kottayam Medical College two days ago.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, while launching a protest by the Mahila Congress against George at Palakkad, told reporters that while he was not against the CM going abroad for medical treatment, he expected Vijayan to seek her resignation.

"I thought the government would consider the fact that the poor people cannot go to the US or UK for treatment," he said.

He also criticised CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan for his remark, a day ago, that the protests were being carried out on the directions of Sunil Kanugolu, the election strategist of the Congress party.

Chennithala pointed out that even before the protests, a government doctor of the Thiruvananthapuram government medical college made clear allegations against the health department.

He also alleged that the Left government has destroyed the health sector in the state during its nine-year rule and asked, "So, are the protests unnecessary?" Similar allegations were made by the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, V D Satheesan, who reiterated the demand for George's resignation.

Satheesan also alleged that there was "huge corruption" and "mismanagement" in the health department, which was only doing "PR and propaganda work." He claimed that the Health Department was "on a ventilator" and that George was responsible for it.

The opposition leader claimed that the Left party and the government were trying to protect the minister.

The Mahila Congress held a march to the Palakkad district hospital seeking George's resignation.

As part of their protest, the Mahila Congress workers tied their mouths shut with a black cloth and carried banners and placards seeking George's resignation.

The protestors alleged that the minister was responsible for the death of 52-year-old Bindu and demanded a judicial probe into the incident.

At Thiruvananthapuram, the Youth Congress held a protest march to George's official residence in the state capital, seeking her resignation.

The protestors were blocked by barricades set up by police, but the Youth Congress activists did not back away despite being hit by water cannons.

The protestors also clashed with the police deployed there in large numbers.

Youth Congress activists also held a protest outside the Palakkad District Collectorate, demanding George's resignation and shouting slogans against her.

They also managed to enter the Collectorate compound, before many of them were forcibly removed from there by police.

Bindu (52) died, and three others, Aleena (11), Amal Pradeep (20), and Jinu Saji (38) were injured in the incident.

Protests were witnessed on Friday in several parts of the state by the opposition Congress, BJP, and their various wings, demanding the minister's resignation.

While the Congress and BJP termed the death as "tantamount to murder", state Cooperation Minister V N Vasavan said such allegations were "politically motivated".

Later in the day, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government will strengthen all precautionary measures to ensure that such "unfortunate and painful" incidents do not recur.

The toilet complex adjacent to wards 10, 11, and 14 at Kottayam Government Medical College collapsed on Thursday while the hospital was in the process of fully shifting operations to the newly constructed surgical block. PTI HMP SSK HMP SSK ADB