ASHA workers strike: Minister Veena George defends Delhi visit, accuses media

Kochi: Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Friday defended her decision to visit New Delhi to meet Union Health Minister J P Nadda, amid the ASHA workers' hunger strike, stating that her stand was clear from the beginning to address their problems.

She accused a section of the media of distorting facts and unfairly targeting her and the state government.

George had travelled to Delhi on Thursday to raise the issue of ASHA workers’ demand for a hike in their honorarium and convey the state’s stand. However, she was unable to meet the union health minister and this has drawn widespread criticism, with some media terming her visit a "farce."

"Was it wrong to seek permission to meet the union minister when ASHAs, who work under a central scheme, had announced a hunger strike?" she said, while speaking to reporters here after returning from the national capital.

However, she was unable to meet the union health minister. Her visit coincided with a section of ASHA workers who had been protesting outside the Secretariat for over a month, launching an indefinite hunger strike.

"You only believe what the union minister’s office said about the request seeking an appointment. I have already stated my position. Some media are trying to crucify the state and its health minister. Is the real issue - whether I sought an appointment with the union minister," she asked.

Clarifying the purpose of her visit during the Assembly session, George stated that she had two objectives-- meeting the union health minister and engaging in discussions with a Cuban delegation.

She added that she had informed the media in New Delhi on not being able to meet the union minister due to his busy schedule during the Parliament session and that she would reschedule the meeting as per the circumstances.

In a Facebook post, George denied discussing her Delhi trip with any media personnel in Kerala.

"I said at the press conference in Thiruvananthapuram yesterday that I will meet the union health minister in person ‘within a week.’ What I said in Delhi is that if I do not get an appointment to meet him, I will visit him when he is available," she clarified in her post.

She also pointed out that this was not the first time she had attempted to meet the union minister regarding ASHA workers’ concerns.

"My statement about the discussion on ASHAs when I met the Union Minister six months ago is available on YouTube," she posted.

Additionally, she shared a video of Speaker A N Shamseer informing the Assembly about the Delhi trip on March 12.

"This visit is a continuation of the Chief Minister’s trip to Cuba in June 2023. The discussions with Cuba are part of Kerala’s efforts to advance the health sector, including collaboration on cancer vaccines. I had clearly explained to the media at Kerala House that my trip had two objectives—meeting the Union Health Minister and engaging in discussions with Cuba," her post further stated.

The protesting ASHA workers announced the hunger strike after their talks with the state government had failed.

The protesters had held two rounds of discussions on Wednesday, first with the state Health Mission authorities in the morning and later with Health Minister George in the afternoon.