Kochi: Health Minister Veena George on Friday accused the media of attempting to vilify her regarding her recent trip to New Delhi. After she failed to secure an appointment with Union Health Minister JP Nadda to discuss the demands of ASHA workers, who have been protesting in front of the Kerala Secretariat since March 8, agitators said they were being taken for a ride.

Responding to the media queries, George asserted that she had never claimed she was flying to Delhi specifically to meet the Union Health Minister. “I am not obliged to respond to the assumptions you published. I have clearly stated the purpose of my visit to Delhi. Last night, I made a detailed post on my official Facebook page regarding this. Is seeking an appointment with the Union Minister to discuss the ASHA workers’ protest wrong? My trip had two objectives: first, a meeting with Minister Nadda, and second, discussions with a Cuban delegation,” she said.

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The indefinite protest by ASHA workers, demanding payment of overdue honorarium and hike in wage and retirement benefits, entered its 40th day on Friday.

Veena George has faced sharp criticism for allegedly misleading ASHA workers regarding her plans to meet the Union Health Minister. In response, she took to Facebook to denounce the media for spreading false information about her trip, insisting that she had never disclosed the purpose of her visit to any mediaperson.

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“While addressing the media in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, I said I would meet the Union Health Minister within a week. After arriving in Delhi, I informed some reporters that I was seeking an appointment with Minister Nadda and that if I couldn’t meet him on Thursday, I would return to Delhi after securing his appointment. I met with him six months ago to discuss the ASHA workers’ demands,” George wrote in a Facebook post.

She added that she had held high-level discussions with a Cuban delegation regarding cooperation in manufacturing anti-cancer vaccines. Taking a strong stance against the media, she also questioned the motive behind publishing what she called false reports about her.

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