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Opposition demands Kerala health minister’s resignation after Kottayam hospital collapse
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and Health Minister Veena George mourn the death of D Bindu, while Congress and BJP demand George's resignation amid protests.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the state health minister Veena George condoled the death of the woman in the collapse of a portion of a building at the Kottayam Government Medical College hospital (MCH) and pledged support to her family, even as opposition parties like the Congress and BJP unleashed protests demanding George’s resignation on Friday.
D Bindu (52), a native of Thalayolaparambu and a textile worker, was buried under the rubble when an old toilet block of a dilapidated building of the Govt MCH caved in around 10:30 am on Thursday. While authorities claimed the building was in disuse and closed to the public, bystanders of patients at the spot said many of them had been using the toilets inside the building. Bindu’s family and activists of the Congress, who were present at the spot, alleged that she lost her life due to an inordinate delay in initiating the search and rescue operations. Ministers like George and VN Vasavan, who had reached the spot, had initially claimed that the building was not in use and that only two persons had suffered minor injuries.
On Friday, Congress and the BJP carried out protests across the state, in front of government medical college hospitals and to the official and personal residences of the health minister, demanding her resignation. The two parties echoed the line that the woman’s life was snuffed out due to the delay in search operations, and remarks by the two ministers claiming everyone was safe.
CM Vijayan, in a short statement, called the death of Bindu ‘unfortunate and heartbreaking.’
“The government will take all precautions to prevent the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents. Appropriate assistance will be provided to Bindu’s family. We share in their grief. The family will have the help and support of the government,” the CM said.
Minister George, who was criticised by the Opposition for not meeting Bindu’s family members or visiting her home in Thalayolaparambu, said the death of Bindu was extremely painful.
“The grief of that family is my grief too. I share in the family’s grief and pay my respects. The government will stand with the family of Bindu,” she said in a post on Facebook.
Meanwhile, thousands poured into Bindu’s humble home in Thalayolaparambu to pay respects. Her remains were cremated within the compound of her home.
