Thiruvananthapuram,25 Feb (HS):Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday strongly condemned the attack on State Health Minister Veena George at Kannur railway station, alleging that the incident reflected the “debased politics” of the Congress and its student wing, the Kerala Students Union (KSU).

The Health Minister was reportedly assaulted and injured while walking along the railway platform at Kannur. Describing the episode as a deliberate act of violence, the Chief Minister asserted that what occurred was “not a protest of any kind, but the rampage of a group of miscreants.”

In a sharply worded statement, Mr. Vijayan said that Kerala’s healthcare system is widely recognised as one of the best in the country, with accolades from multiple official agencies. “Despite this, certain isolated incidents are being exaggerated. Targeting and attacking a Minister who has no direct involvement in such matters cannot be seen as politics — it is nothing but a distortion of politics,” he said.

The Chief Minister further warned the Congress leadership against encouraging its cadres to disrupt public order. “The Congress and the United Democratic Front (UDF) leadership must take responsibility for this incident. They should not assume that unleashing supporters will help create unrest or instability in the State,” he said. He accused the Congress of lowering the standards of public discourse by making baseless allegations and attempting to malign political life in Kerala. The attack, he added, was “highly condemnable and unacceptable.”

CPI(M) leader and Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas also criticised the incident, accusing the Congress leadership of instigating its student activists. In a Facebook post, Mr. Brittas described the assault by “KSU goons” as a grave and deplorable act. He alleged that the frustration stemming from the poor public response to the Opposition Leader’s recent march, as well as the rejection of what he termed a smear campaign against the Health Department, had led to the attack.

Mr. Brittas urged the Congress leadership to apologise to the Minister and the people of Kerala. He also remarked that the Congress must stop using “immature elements” to advance its political agenda.

Police are expected to initiate further action in connection with the incident.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman