Thiruvananthapuram, June 22 (IANS). The debate over the spread of infectious diseases in the Kerala Assembly soon turned into a bitter political fight between two prominent political heirs. CPI(M) MLA and former minister Mohammad Riyas and Health Minister K. Muraleedharan blamed each other for the government’s handling of the situation.
Rias, the current leader of opposition and son-in-law of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, moved a notice seeking permission to move an adjournment motion to discuss the infectious disease situation in the state.
However, the Speaker rejected the proposal and said that there was no need for immediate discussion on the issue.
During this uproar, representatives of two political families associated with Kerala politics came face to face. On one side there was Riyas who was representing the legacy of leftist leadership and on the other side was former Chief Minister K. Karunakaran’s son was Muraleedharan, who was defending the government on behalf of the ruling party.
Former minister Riyas alleged that Kerala’s health model, which was in the news for its good works, has suffered a setback and also accused the health department of lack of coordination.
He claimed that four districts were functioning without district medical officers and also questioned the lack of proper medical leadership in Kozhikode.
Riyas asked, “Could the government not have provided even a single medical officer for Kozhikode?” He alleged that the health department was busy in transfers and postings instead of strengthening measures to prevent the disease.
He claimed that Nipah medicines reached the state five days after the disease was detected and alleged that this supply was also possible after protests by the opposition.
Riyas strongly targeted the Health Minister’s office, saying that an officer there (former director of health services) had become a matter of greater concern than the Nipah virus.
In response, Health Minister Muraleedharan hit back and accused the opposition of trying to create unnecessary panic. He said that the state government took swift action and medicines required for the treatment of Nipah were brought from abroad within 24 hours.
Muraleedharan said only one case of Nipah has been reported in Kerala and added that no case of Ebola has been found anywhere in India. He said the state has a strong disease prevention mechanism in place through coordination between departments and joint inspection by health and food safety officials.
Muraleedharan said the present government is burdened with the ‘reels’ of the last 10 years and the burden of ‘playing the veena’ of the last five years. He said this while taunting Riyas, who was cornered by the Congress for making and posting reels while holding the post of minister (2021-26). Besides, Muraleedharan also took a dig at former Health Minister Veena George.
Health Minister Muraleedharan assured the House that the vacant posts in the health sector will be filled soon and there is no need for anyone to panic as the government has taken all necessary precautionary measures.
There was uproar in the Assembly during the confrontation between former minister Riyas and Health Minister Muraleedharan, where along with public health concerns, Kerala’s old political rivalries also came to the fore.
–IANS
SHK/PM
