Kerala CM condemns attack on Health Minister Veena George, calls it "organised hooliganism"

The Health Minister had sustained injuries to her neck and hand amid a black flag protest by members of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) near the ticket counter while she was arriving to board the Vande Bharat train earlier today.

She was later admitted to Kannur District Hospital, and her travel was cancelled. Protests against her had been reported in several parts of Kannur in recent days.

In an official statement from the Chief Minister's Office, the Chief Minister reacted to the incident, stating, "Our Health Minister attacked physically in Kannur Railway Station, resulting in a severe neck injury and hospitalisation. Those leading these actions are trying to turn Kerala into a land of riots. Ministers are not individuals who emerged overnight; they have grown with the support of this land. When those who love and respect them naturally intervene, problems will arise."

CM Vijayan alleged that certain elements were deliberately unleashing goons to create unrest. "These goons desire such problems. This is not a form of political protest but deliberate, organised hooliganism. Goons are being unleashed for this purpose," he said, adding that the attack on a woman minister was "highly deplorable".

While accusing those behind the protest of repeatedly engaging in such acts, Vijayan urged restraint among LDF workers.

"It cannot be expected that those leading this will refrain from such acts, as these things are happening continuously. However, there is one general request: what they desire should not happen in our land. Our land must live in peace and should not turn into a land of conflict. This resolve must be shared by all LDF workers. Therefore, one must not fall into the trap of these goons and create provocations in the same manner. It is the people who must give the right verdict in such matters. To bring these issues to the people, strong democratic protests must arise," he said.

Earlier, CPM State Secretary M.V. Govindan called the attack a pre-planned, deliberate assault.

"Attack on Health Minister Veena George was a brutal and deliberate assault. Never before has such an attack been carried out against a woman minister in Kerala. This was an organised, pre-planned attack, carried out with the full knowledge of the Congress leadership. Their intention was nothing short of harming, even killing the Minister," he said.

Reacting to the information, Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty told the media, "The Health Minister of Kerala was brutally attacked by activists of KSU and Youth Congress. She is currently in the hospital in a very serious condition. This is the first time in Kerala's political history that such an incident has taken place. Youth Congress and KSU workers would not have carried out such an attack on their own."

Sivankutty further alleged that the protest and attack on the Health Minister would have happened at the direction of the Kerala leader of the Opposition, VD Satheesan. "It may have happened based on the advice or direction of the Leader of the Opposition. The Minister has suffered injuries to her neck, arm and shoulder and has been admitted to the hospital...The Left's secular movements have never acted in such a manner," he said.

He further condemned the attack, stating, "We will not think of revenge, but this incident is utterly condemnable. A woman minister was attacked. If something like this had happened to Sonia Gandhi, how would the Congress have reacted? The Congress leadership must answer that. We strongly condemn this barbaric, crude and disgraceful political act." (ANI)