The Crossbill News Desk
Tensions escalated at the Kannur railway station on Wednesday (February 25), when a protest by activists of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) turned chaotic, leaving Kerala Health Minister Veena George with injuries.
The incident took place as the Minister arrived at the station to board a Vande Bharat Express train.
According to reports, the scuffle broke out near the ticket counter when KSU workers, staging a black-flag protest demanding her resignation, surged forward.
Visuals circulating from the scene show George holding her neck in apparent pain as security personnel attempted to control the situation. She was subsequently taken to Kannur District Hospital for treatment, and her scheduled journey was cancelled. George had been in Kannur to attend the inauguration of the International Ayurveda Research Institute, among other engagements.
From the hospital, she spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
"CM, my neck is in a lot of pain. There was a lot of pushing and shoving when I was coming in," the health minister told Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan from the district hospital, as per a Manorama Online report.
Reacting strongly, the Chief Minister condemned the incident in a Facebook post. "The KSU attack on Health Minister Veena George in Kannur is an example of Congress's dirty politics ... The Congress leadership should not think that they can disrupt law and order or create riots in the country by leaving their followers in the lurch ... This is an attack on women," CM Vijayan wrote.
However, KSU leaders denied the allegations. State Vice President P. Muhammed Shammas dismissed the claims, terming them exaggerated.
"The award for Best Actress belongs to only Veena George," he wrote in a sarcastic Facebook post, criticising the health minister.
He further claimed that only four KSU workers had rushed towards the Minister and questioned how she could have sustained injuries despite being surrounded by nearly 50 police personnel.
The protest at the railway station is part of a wider agitation in Kannur district, where black-flag demonstrations have been held over the past few days. Earlier in the day, district-wide protests were reported from Irikkur, Thalassery, Kodvalli, Chalode and Ayippuzha.
The incident took place as the Minister arrived at the station to board a Vande Bharat Express train.
According to reports, the scuffle broke out near the ticket counter when KSU workers, staging a black-flag protest demanding her resignation, surged forward.
Visuals circulating from the scene show George holding her neck in apparent pain as security personnel attempted to control the situation. She was subsequently taken to Kannur District Hospital for treatment, and her scheduled journey was cancelled. George had been in Kannur to attend the inauguration of the International Ayurveda Research Institute, among other engagements.
From the hospital, she spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
"CM, my neck is in a lot of pain. There was a lot of pushing and shoving when I was coming in," the health minister told Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan from the district hospital, as per a Manorama Online report.
Reacting strongly, the Chief Minister condemned the incident in a Facebook post. "The KSU attack on Health Minister Veena George in Kannur is an example of Congress's dirty politics ... The Congress leadership should not think that they can disrupt law and order or create riots in the country by leaving their followers in the lurch ... This is an attack on women," CM Vijayan wrote.
However, KSU leaders denied the allegations. State Vice President P. Muhammed Shammas dismissed the claims, terming them exaggerated.
"The award for Best Actress belongs to only Veena George," he wrote in a sarcastic Facebook post, criticising the health minister.
He further claimed that only four KSU workers had rushed towards the Minister and questioned how she could have sustained injuries despite being surrounded by nearly 50 police personnel.
The protest at the railway station is part of a wider agitation in Kannur district, where black-flag demonstrations have been held over the past few days. Earlier in the day, district-wide protests were reported from Irikkur, Thalassery, Kodvalli, Chalode and Ayippuzha.
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