Thiruvananthapuram: Various opposition parties including Congress, BJP, Muslim league have intensified protests against Health Minister Veena George following the tragic demise of a 52-year-old woman after a building collapsed in the Kottayam Medical College premise.
On Saturday, Mahila Congress activists held a protest towards the residence of Veena George in Thiruvananthapuram that turned violent.
“The minister has no right to continue in the office as she has misled the rescue team and the fire-force team that arrived at the spot when the tragedy took place. Chief minister should ask her to resign from the post”, said a Mahila Congress activist who was protesting in Thiruvananthapuram.
BJP workers led by former union minister V Muralidharan held a protest near the residence of the health minister on July 4 demanding her resignation.
On Friday, Youth Congress activists staged a dramatic protest at the minister’s family residence in Mylapra, carrying a symbolic coffin while demanding her resignation.
Sources within the CPI(M) reveal that the protest demanding the resignation is not just raised by the BJP and the Congress, but also by members and leaders within the party.
On Friday, CPM state secretary had issued stern warnings to two leaders from Pathanamthitta who posted comments questioning the health minister. One of the local leader said that Veena George is not just ineligible as a health minister, but also as an MLA.
MCH Kottayam lacks fitness certificate
As allegations and protests against health minister and the hospital authorities continue, a report suggest that the collapsed building lacked fitness certificate from the local governing body.
According to Arun K Philip, vice-president of Arpookkara grama panchayat, the hospital authorities didn’t secure a fitness certificate from the panchayat. He said notice will be served to MCH authorities to assess the condition of the existing buildings on the hospital premises.
According to panchayat officials, many buildings within the Kottayam MCH are in a state of disrepair, with no maintenance conducted for several years.