Widespread protests in Kerala seeking Minister Veena George's resignation
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Various wings of parties in the Congress-led UDF and the BJP were staging widespread protests seeking the resignation of state Health Minister Veena George over the death of a woman when a portion of the Kottayam Medical College building collapsed two days ago.
Activists of Youth Congress, Kerala Students Union (KSU), Mahila Congress, Youth League, and the BJP held protests in the state capital and various other cities, including Palakkad, Kochi, Kollam, Kannur, and Mananthavady, during the day.
Protestors marched to the offices of the District Collector or the District Medical Officer (DMO) in many places and confronted the police and water cannons. They shouted slogans demanding George's resignation.
In the state capital, Youth Congress activists marched to the official residence of George, and police used water cannons to disperse the protestors.
Similar scenes were witnessed in many other cities of the state, including Wayanad, where Youth Congress activists tried to place a wreath in the office of the DMO there.
In Pathanamthitta, BJP workers marched to the family residence of the health minister and tried to bring down the barricades placed by police to stop them.
Activists of the saffron party also held a protest march to the Kozhikode medical college and shouted slogans against minister.
In many places, police had to forcefully remove the protestors after several rounds of water cannons could not disperse them.
In Palakkad, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, while launching a protest by the Mahila Congress against George, said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan ought to have sought the Health Minister's resignation before going abroad in view of her alleged "inefficiency", "indifference", and "grave mistakes".
As part of their protest, the Mahila Congress workers tied their mouths shut with a black cloth and carried banners and placards seeking George's resignation.
He told reporters that while he was not against the CM going abroad for medical treatment, he expected Vijayan to seek her resignation.
"I thought the government would consider the fact that the poor people cannot go to the US or UK for treatment," he said.
He also criticised CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan for his remark, a day ago, that the protests were being carried out on the directions of Sunil Kanugolu, the election strategist of the Congress party.
Chennithala pointed out that even before the protests, a government doctor of the Thiruvananthapuram government medical college made clear allegations against the health department.
He also alleged that the Left government has destroyed the health sector in the state during its nine-year rule and asked, "So, are the protests unnecessary?"
Similar allegations were made by the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, V D Satheesan, who reiterated the demand for George's resignation.
Satheesan also alleged that there was "huge corruption" and "mismanagement" in the health department, which was only doing "PR and propaganda work."
He claimed that the Health Department was "on a ventilator" and that George was responsible for it.
The opposition leader claimed that the Left party and the government were trying to protect the minister.
The protestors alleged that the minister was responsible for the death of 52-year-old Bindu and demanded a judicial probe into the incident.
At Kozhikode, the Youth League held a protest seeking George's resignation. Youth Congress activists also held a protest outside the Palakkad District Collectorate, demanding George's resignation and shouting slogans against her.
They also managed to enter the Collectorate compound, before many of them were forcibly removed from there by police.
Bindu (52) died, and three others, Aleena (11), Amal Pradeep (20), and Jinu Saji (38) were injured in the incident.
Congress, the BJP, and their various wings held protests in various parts of the state on Friday as well.
While the Congress and BJP termed the death as "tantamount to murder", state Cooperation Minister V N Vasavan said such allegations were "politically motivated".
Later in the day, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government will strengthen all precautionary measures to ensure that such "unfortunate and painful" incidents do not recur.
The toilet complex adjacent to wards 10, 11, and 14 at Kottayam Government Medical College collapsed on Thursday while the hospital was in the process of fully shifting operations to the newly constructed surgical block.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Here's how netizens, media outlets projected Ashwini Kumar's bomb threat as 'Lashkar-e-Jihadi'
Mumbai: Mumbai was thrown into panic late on Thursday night when police received a WhatsApp message warning of a large-scale terror attack during the Ganesh festival. The message, written in the name of a jihadi group called “Lashkar-e-Jihadi,” claimed that 14 Pakistani terrorists had entered Mumbai with 400 kilograms of RDX loaded in 34 vehicles.
It warned of blasts that could kill as many as one crore people. Authorities immediately declared a high alert, and the case was handed over to the Crime Branch while the Anti-Terrorism Squad and other security agencies were put on standby.
Within hours, the threat made national headlines. Television channels and online portals reported the possibility of a terror strike, repeatedly linking the message to Pakistan-based groups.
The incident was projected as yet another attempt to destabilize Mumbai, and the supposed involvement of a jihadi outfit quickly gained traction across the media. However, a swift investigation by Mumbai Police traced the origin of the message to a very different source.
By Saturday, police had tracked down and arrested Ashwin Kumar Supra, a 50-year-old astrologer and Vastu consultant living in Sector 79 of Noida. Originally from Patna, Kumar admitted during interrogation that he had sent the message using the name of his former friend Firoz. In 2023, Firoz had lodged a fraud case against him at Phulwari Sharif police station in Patna, leading to Kumar’s three-month imprisonment. Seeking revenge, Kumar attempted to frame Firoz by posing as a jihadi terrorist. Police recovered his mobile phone, SIM cards, and other digital devices used in the hoax.
When the threat first came to light, social media was flooded with heated reactions. Journalist @Manju_IBNews wrote, “Another election around the corner!” while user @kv_mcu posted an aggressive comment demanding to “ban Islam and burn the Quran,” calling for mass deportations and tying the incident to culture and religion. In response, @RIMMS51979 countered sharply, saying, “Caller Name is Ashvini kumar what will you burn now.” Another user, @Valkyrie00777, questioned the credibility of the threat, pointing to contradictions in the claim that 14 terrorists had entered India with 34 bombs and 400 kilograms of RDX. Meanwhile, @Liberal51601607 remarked, “Terrorists have no religion.. Anyone..?”
Fact-checkers also weighed in. @zoo_bear (Mohammed Zubair) accused NDTV of omitting crucial context, posting: “Adani's TV hasn't mentioned that the accused Ashwini Kumar sent the bomb threat message to Mumbai police in the name of his friend Firoz to frame him.” The fact-check website Aazad Fact Check (@AazadFactCheck) published a detailed rebuttal, saying the story had quickly evolved into a propaganda tool. It noted that the supposed intelligence about “human bombs in vehicles” was technically flawed and described the entire sequence as “a pure example of Indian narrative building before a false flag operation.”
Adani's TV hasn't mentioned that the accused Ashwini Kumar sent the bomb threat message to Mumbai police in the name of his friend Firoz to frame him. https://t.co/17nZxYOrql
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) September 6, 2025
After Ashwini Kumar’s arrest, the tone of the online conversation shifted sharply. Activist @ShabnamHashmi posted, “Ashwini Kumar 50 Year Old Astrologer from Noida has been arrested for sending these threats in the name of a Muslim. This is how Sangh sleeper cells are spreading hatred. Stop the Hate factory! Vote Out the Vote Chori Gang.” Journalist @indscribe (Shams Ur Rehman Alavi) observed that newspapers splashed the initial threat on front pages but buried the arrest details inside. “When the guy gets caught, the same newspapers don't publish his photo, relegate it to page 14 or reduce it to a single column… Interest gone after ‘name’ found,” he wrote.
Ashwini Kumar 50 Year Old Astrologer from Noida has been arrested for sending these threats in the name of a Muslim. This is how Sangh sleeper cells are spreading hatred
— Shabnam Hashmi (@ShabnamHashmi) September 6, 2025
Stop the Hate factory !
Vote Out the Vote Chori Gang pic.twitter.com/IzpLjWVJgu
Other users highlighted systemic and political angles. @shfique13 argued that there are now “two laws” in the country—one protecting those aligned with the government and another used to suppress truth-tellers. @SoodRajive claimed the episode was staged, alleging Kumar had been paid to frame a minority and calling it “a staged toolkit drama.” User @hussain2577 wrote sarcastically, “Such an innocent n bright person. Plzz grant him bail, Garland him, Give him BJP membership form.” Another account, @Sangliyana, remarked, “Risking his life just to frame a Muslim boy. This is what 11 years corrupting mind.” Finally, @rsbisht__ argued that Kumar’s only aim was to trap Firoz, linking it to what he described as rising hatred against Muslims in Uttar Pradesh under the Modi and Yogi administrations.
