Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Friday defended her visit to New Delhi amid the ongoing hunger strike by ASHA workers, stating that her intention was to address their concerns by seeking an appointment with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda. She also accused a section of the media of distorting facts and unfairly targeting her and the state government.
George traveled to Delhi on Thursday to highlight the ASHA workers’ demand for a hike in their honorarium and present the state’s stand. However, she was unable to meet the Union minister, leading to criticism from various quarters, with some media outlets terming her visit a “farce.”
Minister Questions Media Narrative
Addressing reporters after her return from Delhi, George questioned the negative portrayal of her trip. “Was it wrong to seek permission to meet the Union minister when ASHAs, who work under a central scheme, had announced a hunger strike?” she asked.
She accused the media of focusing only on the union minister’s office’s statement regarding her request for an appointment. “Some media are trying to crucify the state and its health minister. Is the real issue whether I sought an appointment or the plight of ASHA workers?” she said.
Purpose of Delhi Visit
George clarified that her visit had two objectives: discussing ASHA workers’ demands with the Union Health Minister and engaging with a Cuban delegation on healthcare collaboration. However, due to the minister’s busy schedule during the Parliament session, the meeting could not take place.
She assured that she would reschedule the meeting as per availability and had already conveyed this to the media in New Delhi.
In a Facebook post, she denied discussing her Delhi trip with any media personnel in Kerala and reiterated that she would meet the Union Minister “within a week.” She also shared a video of Speaker A.N. Shamseer informing the Assembly about the Delhi trip on March 12.
ASHA Workers’ Protest Continues
Meanwhile, ASHA workers, who have been protesting outside the Kerala Secretariat for over a month, announced an indefinite hunger strike after their talks with the state government failed.
The protesters had held two rounds of discussions on Wednesday—first with the state Health Mission authorities in the morning and later with Minister George in the afternoon—but no resolution was reached.
George emphasized that this was not the first time she had attempted to discuss ASHA workers’ concerns with the Union Minister. “My statement about the discussion on ASHAs when I met the Union Minister six months ago is available on YouTube,” she wrote.
She also highlighted that her visit was a continuation of Kerala’s discussions with Cuba on healthcare advancements, including collaboration on cancer vaccines.
Sources By Agencies
