Thiruvananthapuram: Health Minister KK Shylaja’s statements against the ongoing protest by endosulfan victims have been flayed by the group behind the agitation. The minister had denounced the presence of physically challenged children at the protest site outside the Secretariat here.
“They (children) should not be 'displayed' at protest venues. Moreover, they are inconvenienced when they are taken for protests. The demands of endosulfan victims have been addressed,” she said.
The minister also questioned their intention in continuing the strike. “The prominent personalities who led the protests earlier are not involved now. There could be other intentions behind it,” she said.
Social activist Daya Bai said the minister’s statements were inhuman. “The protest is not to display children. The world should realise that they exist. How can a minister say they are displayed? Isn’t she a woman, a mother? How heartless of her! The same minister who held a meeting yesterday questions the protests today,” Daya Bai said, reacting strongly to the minister’s comments.
Samara Sahayasamithi chairman M Shajar Khan and convener K Santosh demanded an apology from the minister. Calling her statements inhuman, they urged the government to find a solution to the problems of the victims soon. “Ministers should not make statements that deny basic respect. The same people who protested in 2013 and 2016 are protesting today. Ministers KK Shylaja and E Chandrasekharan had previously backed the protests when government help was restricted to 11 panchayats.
The demands of protesters include compensation, upgrading the list of beneficiaries, medical assistance and raising pensions to Rs 5,000. Those protesting outside the secretariat are children and parents of victims not included in the list.
Daya Bai, who is on a hunger strike, had earlier accused the chief minister of being autocratic. The protests will continue until needs are met, she added.
The chief minister had promised to address the issue. “Victims are identified by district authorities and health departments. A special medical team then creates a list after detailed analysis. Genuine cases left out are added later,” the chief minister told the assembly on Saturday.
“The current government authorised a list of 363 people. 11 were added on after a review. A total of 6,212 were declared affected. The state government has also tried to mitigate shortfalls of central governments. Rs 2.17 crore was allocated to write-off loans up to Rs 50,000. Another Rs 4.63 crore was transferred to bank accounts for loans up to Rs 3 lakh,” said the chief minister. However, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged only 200 out of 3,000 applicants received any benefits.
The endosulfan poisoning of residents of 15 villages in Kasaragod district had brought untold miseries to a generation. Hereditary diseases and cancers of all forms as a result of the excessive use of the pesticide endosulfan in nearby government-owned plantations wrecked havoc. The district had shot to limelight nationally and even globally a decade back when the plight of endosulfan-affected people became public.
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