A political storm has erupted in Kerala over distribution of free packaged food to patients in government hospitals after health minister K. Muraleedharan’s recent announcement that political parties would not be permitted to continue with the practice.
But with chief minister V.D. Satheeshan himself congratulating CPI(M) youth wing DYFI (Democratic Youth Federation of India) for running the programme, Muraleedharan found himself in a spot.
The minister courted controversy by supporting Ambalappuzha MLA G. Sudhakaran, a former CPI(M) leader and now a Congress-backed independent legislator. Sudhakaran had questioned the DYFI’s practice of distributing free food packets to poor patients and bystanders in government hospitals around the state.
Soon, the Opposition cornered the government, asking why simple assistance like this should be denied to those who cannot buy meals. Eventually, the health minister clarified that food could be distributed without party advertisements on the packaging. But his clarifications backfired as the chief minister intervened to praise the DYFI’s work.
The DYFI’s Thiruvananthapuram district unit had started distributing free food under its ‘Hridayapoorvam’ (From the Heart) programme back in January 2017. The venue was the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram. This was gradually extended to other medical colleges and 60 government hospitals. Today, over 100,000 food packets are distributed every day.
“We have been feeding the needy in government hospitals for the past nine years. Even if the government bans, we won’t yield to such draconian decisions. Those opposing charity do not understand the tears of the hungry,” DYFI state president V. Vaseef told INDIA TODAY.
Vaseef said the health minister was qualified to stop the DYFI only when the government opens community kitchens in hospitals to feed the needy.
Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan criticised elements in the government for politicking over the issue. “Only the callous and cruel would try to inject petty-minded partisan politics into such exemplary and relentless acts of humanism,” Vijayan said.
The BJP too has criticised the government. A rare issue on which Opposition parties and members of the establishment are broadly on the same page.
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