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Kerala Police used water cannons to disperse BJP workers who staged a protest march on Friday against State Health Minister Veena George following the building collapse at Kottayam Medical College, in which one person was killed and several others sustained injuries.
The protest began in response to an incident where a building block at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kottayam district collapsed. Tensions escalated when BJP workers breached barricades set up by the police. In response, police used water cannons to control the crowd and prevent them from reaching the minister's residence. Earlier in the day, workers from the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) also staged a protest in front of Kottayam Medical College. They are demanding the resignation of Kerala Health Minister Veena George. Meanwhile, Minister for Ports, Cooperation, and Devaswoms, VN Vasavan, described the Kottayam Medical College building collapse as an 'unfortunate' incident and announced that the Kerala government will provide immediate financial assistance of Rs 50,000 to the affected family. He said, "CM visited the spot yesterday itself. Rs 50,000 will be given as immediate help to the family. The State Cabinet will discuss and decide on financial help to the family. Kottayam Medical College is one of the best-performing hospitals in India. The incident is unfortunate."He further clarified that there was no lapse from the government side and added, "Did not ask to stop rescue operation, it was for making way to let the Hitachi excavator enter. Rescue was only possible with the help of a machine." "The health minister said yesterday that nobody was stuck there because the hospital superintendent told the minister that the building was not in use," he further said. Shifting the blame on the previous government of the United Democratic Front (UDF), he said, "In 2013, the PWD (Public Works Department) submitted a report about the condition of the building. Then the UDF government did not act on it." (ANI)
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