The CPM's attempt to corner the government over the 'clinical trials' of a generic drug on young Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) patients had backfired. The party's objections have dried up in the last few days to just the mislabelling of the drug as 'for clinical trials only'. Otherwise, the party has no problem with the use of the generic drug, or even the company, Natco Pharma, that manufactures the generic version.

So in the Assembly on Monday, the CPM did not abandon the SMA issue but tactfully relegated it to an inferior position. Instead, as the preeminent public health concern, the CPM placed another health issue, the composition of the Kerala Holistic Model for Health, Wellness and Longevity Task Force.

CPM's Ottappalam MLA K Premkumar, who moved the adjournment motion on the issue, said that the Longevity Task Force was made up of names from the corporate sector. Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan said that behind such a Task Force was a conspiracy to "absolutely commercialise the public health sector in Kerala".

The government had all the answers for the SMA controversy, not for the pointed questions hurled at the Task Force. In fact, the Opposition had challenged only one name in the Task Force, that of the convenor: former Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Deepak Singhal.

Significantly, it was not health minister K Muraleedharan but Chief Minister V D Satheesan who first responded to the adjournment motion. In fact, the health minister did not utter a word about the Task Force.

It was with pride that the Chief Minister read out the names of the Task Force members. It was as if the names were his defence. Padma Bhushan recipient and renowned hepatologist Dr Shiv Kumar Sarin, oncologist Dr M V Pillai, founder of Tulah wellness centre Faizal E. Kottikollon ("The entrepreneur who began India's first wellness centre"), Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala managing director Devadas Varier, Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala chief physician Dr P Madhavankutty Varier, Padma Shri winner and radiologist Dr Harsh Mahajan, founder-chairman of Global Hospitals Group Dr Ravindranath Kancherla, ayurveda physician Pratap Chouhan, UDF's health commission chairman Dr S S Lal.

The former UP chief secretary Deepak Singhal name was mentioned last, in one sentence. "A governance expert, a man who had contributed a lot to this field as an administrator," the CM said. "It is these people the opposition alleges would smuggle out the entire health sector in Kerala to the private sector," Satheesan said.

CPM's Premkumar pounced on the order in which the CM listed the names of the Task Force members. "Deepak Singhal's was the last name the CM mentioned. What is his qualification? He is a former UP chief secretary who had faced charges of corruption," Premkumar said, and added: "What has Kerala got to study from a state like UP?"
The CM said that Singhal had been cleared of all Vigilance charges.

The Opposition had an even more serious charge, and this was articulated by Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan. He said that Singhal was in the leadership position of a network entity that linked rich patients to corporate hospitals. The entity he referred to was Global Trade and Technology Council India (GTTCI). Singhal is part of the GTTCI's Advisory Board.

"The GTTCI functions as the facilitator of private-corporate interests in the health sector. We have now included a person in the leadership position of the GTTCI in the Task Force," Pinarayi said. "What we need to be alert to is his (Singhal's) current occupation, and it is connected to the corporate health sector. The Chief Minister conveniently masked this aspect while introducing him to the House," he said.

Pinarayi also questioned the CM's claim that Singhal had made contributions to the health sector as a serving IAS officer. "While in service, in which area of healthcare reforms did he engage in," Pinarayi wanted to know. "He is now working as the representative of an entity that is engaged in expanding the services and network of private corporate hospitals. Commercial interest alone links him to healthcare. This naturally is a cause of concern," the Opposition Leader said.

However, the only remark of the Opposition Leader the CM found provocative enough for a response was this. "What made the government think that people in Maharashtra and UP are best placed to understand Kerala's health needs," Pinarayi said.

"You asked a valid question. You wondered whether a man in UP should decide Kerala's health policy," the CM began. Then, referring to a sheaf of notes, he continued: "I will give you the name of a member appointed to the governing council of the Virology Institute when you were Chief Minister. Dr William Hall, University College, Dublin. A man who has appointed a doctor from Ireland in the Virology Institute is now asking me whether we can appoint a person from UP," the CM said.

The CM's intrusion derailed the debate. For a moment, it became personal. Pinarayi turned away from the Speaker and spoke facing the opposition members behind him. "You know who Hall is? He is the greatest authority in the world on Virology," Pinarayi said, his face turned away from the Speaker. He was making fun of Satheesan's habit of addressing his side while cracking a joke at his rivals.

The CM was offended. "Each member has his own style of presenting things. I cannot imitate your style. Mine is different. Please don't make fun of it. I have never ridiculed your style," the CM began softly as if wounded, but soon enough his anger got the better of him.

"You did this because you ran out of answers. If I turn to my members while talking, it is because there are 102 of us. I take pride in doing that. Perhaps you would find it hard to look at your side, because you were primarily responsible for your numbers dwindling to 35," the CM said.

Pinarayi, on the other hand, sounded amused than offended. "I was not trying to criticise him. I was only trying to tell him that he should stick to the parliamentary decorum of talking through you," Pinarayi told Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan. "At least from now on he should change his ways. I know it is his style, but I don't think it is something worth emulating," he said with a smile that suggested that he was enjoying the moment.

The Speaker then intervened, apparently to end the debate on parliamentary body language. "In a parliamentary system, it is the Speaker who should be addressed. So both the sides can speak, without any trouble, by looking at me," the Speaker said. Pinarayi had a good laugh.

The CM was once again offended. "In the Rules of Business, it is said that the Speaker should be addressed. But nowhere is it said that a member should speak facing the Speaker," Satheesan said.

Pinarayi used the chance to throw in a mischievous line. "It looks like the Chief Minister has corrected you," he told the Speaker, who just smiled.