THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister K Muraleedharan on Monday said the government was not opposed to distribute food to people, but would not allow administrative offices of the hospital or government land to be encroached upon in the name of food distribution.
Speaking at an event organised by the INTUC district committee to mark the third death anniversary of former chief minister Oommen Chandy, the minister alleged that the BJP and the CPM were making “baseless allegations” against the government.
He said the government’s request to remove banners and decorative arches from hospital premises was to prevent the encroachment of health department offices and government land within hospital compounds, and not at stopping the distribution of food.
“The government has never objected to feeding people. Anyone is free to distribute food,” he said.
He also alleged those who are now criticising the government were the same people who had shut down community kitchens run by IUML and UDF workers to provide food to victims after the Chooralmala landslide in Wayanad. Muraleedharan also welcomed the INTUC’s initiative to organise a large-scale blood donation.
