Thiruvananthapuram

Workers of the Indian Youth Congress on Saturday staged a protest outside the official residence of Kerala Health Minister Veena George, following reports that a pair of scissors was found inside a woman’s abdomen five years after a surgery at Vandanam Government Medical College.

According to officials, Youth Congress members marched in large numbers to the minister’s residence and forced their way inside despite security personnel attempting to prevent them. The protesters placed a funeral wreath at the doorstep of the house and later continued their demonstration outside the premises.

Kerala Minister V Sivankutty condemned the incident, saying the protest had crossed all acceptable limits. He criticised the act of entering the minister’s residence and placing a funeral wreath, calling it a serious violation of democratic norms.

“In a democracy, everyone has the right to protest, but there are clear boundaries. This agitation crossed every limit. Forcibly entering a minister’s residence and placing a funeral wreath at the doorstep is a grave act,” Sivankutty said. He also alleged that the protest was orchestrated with the knowledge of the Leader of the Opposition, V D Satheesan.

The minister asserted that such actions would not be tolerated by the Left Democratic Front. He said any shortcomings in the Health Department could be discussed through appropriate democratic channels and emphasised that Kerala’s healthcare system has received recognition even from the Central government.

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“Attempts to isolate or intimidate the Health Minister through undemocratic methods will not succeed. The LDF and its ministers will not retreat under pressure. Issues in the Health Department can be discussed, as they have been in the past, but Kerala’s healthcare sector continues to function at a high standard,” Sivankutty said, alleging that the protest was aimed at undermining that progress.