Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the attack on Health Minister Veena George, calling it “organized hooliganism” and a threat to the peace of the state.
The Health Minister had suffered injuries on his neck and hand during a black flag protest by Kerala Students Union (KSU) members near the ticket counter to board the Vande Bharat train this morning.
He was later admitted to Kannur District Hospital and his journey was cancelled. In recent days, there were reports of protests against him in many parts of Kannur.
Reacting to the incident in an official statement issued from the Chief Minister’s Office, the Chief Minister said, “Our Health Minister was physically attacked at Kannur Railway Station, resulting in serious neck injury and he had to be hospitalised.”
The people leading these actions are trying to turn Kerala into a land of riots. Ministers have not emerged overnight; They have reached this point only with the support of this land. When people who love and respect them interfere, naturally, problems will arise.”
Chief Minister Vijayan alleged that some elements were deliberately sending goons to create unrest. This is not a form of political protest but deliberate organized hooliganism. “Goons are being released for this purpose,” he said. He further said that the attack on the woman minister was “extremely condemnable”. Accusing those behind the protests of repeatedly indulging in such acts, Vijayan urged LDF workers to exercise restraint.
He said “It cannot be expected that the perpetrators of these incidents will desist from such acts, as these incidents are happening continuously. However, there is a common request: What they want should not happen on our soil. There should be peace on our soil and it should not become a land of conflict. This resolution should be of all LDF workers. Therefore, one should not fall into the trap of these goons and spread similar incitements. The right decision in such cases. The public has to do it. There should be strong democratic protests to bring these issues before the public.”
Earlier, CPM state secretary M.V. Govindan described the attack as a pre-planned and deliberate attack. He said, “The attack on Health Minister Veena George was a brutal and well-planned attack. Such an attack on a woman minister has never happened before in Kerala. It was an organized, pre-planned attack, which was carried out with the full knowledge of the Congress leadership. Their intention was to harm, even kill, the minister.”
Sivankutty further alleged that the protest and attack on the Health Minister was instigated by Kerala opposition leader V.D. Must have happened on the instructions of Satishan. He said, “This may have happened on the advice or instructions of the leader of the opposition. The minister has suffered injuries on his neck, hand and shoulder and has been admitted to the hospital… Left secular movements have never done such things.”
He strongly condemned the attack. He said, “We will not think of taking revenge, but this incident is highly condemnable. A woman minister was attacked. If this had happened to Sonia Gandhi, what would have been the reaction of the Congress? The Congress leadership will have to answer to this. We strongly condemn this barbaric, cruel and shameful political act.”
Responding to this information, Kerala Education Minister V. Sivankutty told the media, “The Health Minister of Kerala was brutally attacked by KSU and Youth Congress workers. She is currently in a critical condition in the hospital. This is the first time in the political history of Kerala. Youth Congress and KSU workers could not have carried out such an attack on their own.”
