Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Sunday met the family of a woman who died following part of a building of the Government Medical College Hospital collapse here three days ago. Bindu, 52, who was accompanying her inpatient daughter, was trapped in the debris when part of a building in the hospital fell on Thursday.
George and the local CPI(M) leaders approached the victim's house on Sunday morning, a day following the raging protests in the state demanding her resignation in the wake of the tragedy. The minister spoke to Bindhu's husband, her mother and children and assured them of all government support.
Speaking to reporters here afterward, the health minister called Bindu's tragic death heartbreaking and most painful. "As far as I am concerned, this family's grief is my grief. I met her husband, mother and all other relatives and shared their pain. The government will be with them fully in all things," she declared.
George stated Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has already discussed this and the relief packages for the family would be declared by him in accordance with the decisions of the state cabinet. Appropriate action for the family would be taken shortly, the minister further added. Vishruthan, Bindu's husband, said the minister had promised the family that their son would be provided a permanent position in the government sector. The family hopes for the government and they are content with the measures taken by the authorities till now, he added.
Also read: Protests continue after Kottayam hospital building collapse
Meanwhile, Youth League activists, the youth wing of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), surrounded a road in the northern Kannur district seeking the resignation of Minister George. The protesters clashed with police officers in a brief skirmish and they were evacuated forcefully by the law enforcement agents later.
Youth Congress activists, who marched to the residence of the health minister on Saturday, were arrested, creating some agitation.
A Youth Congress worker group clashed with the police in the district hospital campus, objecting to police action of arresting their party colleagues. They attempted to obstruct the police vehicle but were later pushed back by the officers.
The toilet block near wards 10, 11, and 14 of the Kottayam Government Medical College collapsed on Thursday when the hospital was underway with relocating all operations to the new surgical block. Bindu had passed away, and three others had been injured in the accident.
While the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress called the death "tantamount to murder" and organised large-scale protests demanding Veena George's resignation, state ministers VN Vasavan, Saji Cheriyan, PA Mohammed Riyas and V Sivankutty came to her defence and averred that such accusations were "politically motivated".
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