DYFI slams Kerala Health Minister's 'inhumane' move on free meals

DYFI State Secretary VK Sanoj condemned Kerala Health Minister K Muraleedharan's decision to stop the 'Hridayapoorvam' free meal scheme in hospitals, calling it 'inhumane'. Sanoj has vowed that the DYFI will continue the programme.

Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) State Secretary VK Sanoj strongly criticised Health Minister K Muraleedharan's announcement that Hridayapoorvam, DYFI's free meal distribution programme that has been functioning for years in government hospitals across Keralam, would be discontinued, calling the decision "inhumane" and "highly condemnable."

A Humanitarian People's Movement

In a statement, Sanoj said Hridayapoorvam was not merely a programme for distributing food packets but a humanitarian initiative that embodied the ideals of compassion and fraternity advocated by Sree Narayana Guru.

He said the programme had been providing meals collected with the support of households to patients and bystanders spending days in hospitals, offering relief to those in need. He described the initiative as a people's movement that had touched the lives of thousands beyond political and organisational affiliations.

Doubts Over Government's Proposed Alternative

Responding to the government's proposal to introduce community kitchens in hospitals, Sanoj said DYFI did not oppose strengthening such a system. However, he questioned the urgency of discontinuing the existing public-supported initiative before the proposed mechanism becomes fully operational, saying it naturally raises doubts.

Political Motivations Alleged

Sanoj alleged that the campaign against Hridayapoorvam had long been politically motivated. He claimed that the programme's acceptance across political lines and the recognition it had received at national and international levels had unsettled some sections.

DYFI Vows to Continue Programme

Sanoj asserted that DYFI would continue the Hridayapoorvam programme until the government ensures that patients and their bystanders receive uninterrupted and reliable food through an official mechanism. "People will recognise any attempt to bring politics before the hunger of the needy," he said, adding, "Hridayapoorvam will continue because we do not mix politics with hunger." (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)