Veena George Defends Delhi Trip Amid ASHA Workers’ Hunger Strike

Kochi, Kerala – Health Minister Veena George spoke out on Friday to explain why she traveled to New Delhi to meet Union Health Minister J P Nadda. This trip happened while the ASHA workers, who help with healthcare, were on a hunger strike, asking for higher pay. George said some media were misrepresenting her actions and unfairly criticizing her and the state government.

She explained that her intention was to discuss the workers’ requests for more money and share Kerala’s position on their needs. However, she did not get to meet with the union health minister, which led to some people calling her trip pointless. “Was it wrong for me to seek a meeting with the union minister when ASHA workers, who follow a central program, were on a hunger strike?” she asked reporters after returning home.

George also addressed that her visit aligned with ASHA workers who had been protesting outside the Secretariat for a month. “You believe only what the union minister’s office said about my meeting request. I’ve been clear about my position. Some media are trying to unfairly blame the state and me over this,” she said.

During a session in the Assembly, she clarified her trip had two main purposes: to meet the union health minister and talk with a Cuban delegation. She mentioned that she informed the media in New Delhi that she didn’t meet the minister because he was too busy and promised to reschedule. In a Facebook post, she added that she hadn’t spoken to any media in Kerala about her trip beforehand.

George pointed out that this wasn’t her first attempt to discuss ASHA workers’ concerns with the union minister. “You can find a record of my previous discussion about ASHAs six months ago on YouTube,” she shared. She also included a video of Assembly Speaker A N Shamseer talking about her Delhi trip on March 12.

She noted that her visit followed the Chief Minister’s trip to Cuba in June 2023. The discussions with Cuba were aimed at improving Kerala’s health sector, including working on cancer vaccines. “I made it clear at Kerala House that my trip had two goals—meeting the Union Health Minister and talking with Cuba,” her post stated.

The ASHA workers went on their hunger strike after failing to reach an agreement with the state government. They met twice on Wednesday, first with officials from the state Health Mission and later with Health Minister George herself.