Injuries to Kerala Health Minister Veena George's neck and hands – sustained in Kannur district as student union activists, who were protesting instances of alleged medical negligence, clashed with police – have become the focus of a political row in the poll-bound southern state.
George was admitted to a local hospital after she complained of neck pain and discomfort in her right hand, and was later shifted to the Pariyaram Government Medical College Hospital.
The CPM-led ruling front called the 'attack' "highly condemnable".
What CPIM said
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan claimed "goons" had been ordered to attack his Health Minister and said, "Those leading these actions are trying to turn Kerala into a land of riots."
"These goons desire such problems. This is not a form of political protest but deliberate, organised hooliganism," he said, though he did not specify who might have ordered or instigated the attack. He also said the physical assault of a woman politician was "highly deplorable".
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed the attack on Veena George (File)
The party's district chief, MV Jayarajan, ramped up that rhetoric by claiming she had been targeted by "suicide attackers" and a wreath, signifying her death, was laid at her home.
Jayarajan also alleged George had been physically assaulted. "It was by one person in the criminal group. As they were removed from the place, they could not kill the minister."
RECAP | Kerala Health Minister Injured During Opposition Protest, Hospitalised
"The attack took place with the motive to kill her,” he said, ripping into the Kerala Students Union, which is the opposition Congress' student wing and which had gathered for a black flag protest to highlight allegations of medical neglect in government hospitals across the state.
CPM Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas slammed the "cowardly attack" in a post on X. "… this is a new low for the Congress", he said and declared the party "owes an apology to Kerala!"
But not all of Kerala's political class is on the same page.
What Congress said
The Congress, itching for a big win in the April/May election, has alleging that what was projected as a 'violent attack' was just 'political theatre' that misfired.
Party leaders have argued that CCTV footage of the confrontation does not actually show Veena George being attacked. While the footage shows jostling and chaos typical of a protest situation, it does not conclusively depict the minister being physically assaulted.
Instead, security personnel can be seen forming a protective ring around her. And the absence of clear visuals showing an attack has become the fulcrum of the opposition's response.
Medical updates describing the injuries as 'minor' – a slight neck injury with temporary numbness in the right arm – have also been flagged as more evidence of an 'inflated narrative'.
What the police said
The police case that was filed had references to George being attacked with a "weapon", though it was not immediately clear what that weapon may have been and if it was recovered.
Five KSU members have been arrested so far.
The police record claims George and her security detail reached the Kannur Railway Station to board a Vande Bharat Express; this was at 3.15 pm Wednesday.
Shortly afterwards KSU members, also entered the railway station with the 'weapon'. They also held black flags and raised slogans, including 'kill her', as they approached and attacked, the cops have claimed.
In a separate incident, a police case was also registered against 10 members of the Youth League, which is affiliated to the Muslim League, for allegedly protesting with black flags when Veena George's convoy neared a government hospital Wednesday afternoon.
Kerala will vote for a new government weeks from now, with the CPM-led Left Democratic Front widely seen to be facing a challenge from the Congress-led United Democratic Front.
The Congress' alliance scored a surprisingly big win in local body polls in December last year.
The BJP, which has historically struggled for traction in the state, and in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, which votes at the same time, will hope to finally break through after it secured its first big win – VV Rajesh is the BJP's Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram – in the same election.
With input from agencies
