Controversies surrounding Chandy’s treatment; Fact and speculation

Kozhikode: Kerala mourns the loss of former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy, who passed away in the early hours of Tuesday morning . He leaves behind a legacy of being one of the most revered and beloved leaders in the state's history. Let us take a look at the controversies that riddled his treatment during his final days.

The 79 year old leader was undergoing treatment for throat cancer at a private hospital in Bengaluru when he passed. Oommen Chandy was first diagnosed with cancer in 2015 and was in remission after being treated in the US. 

However, the cancer returned in 2019 and he began undergoing treatment for the same. Ever since the recurrence, rumors that the former Chief Minister wasn’t being given adequate treatment were afloat.

Amidst these rumors, Oomen Chandy flew to Germany to undergo a surgery at a hospital in Berlin on 30 October 2022. His wife and children Chandy Oomen, Mariya, Achu and MLA Benny Behanan were with him during this period. 

After the recovery, he returned to Kerala on 18 November. It was in early February this year that controversy regarding the lapses in his treatment gained traction with his brother Alex V. Chandy coming to the forefront with accusations.

Alex V. Chandy alleged that the former CM was not being given scientific treatment but rather was undergoing some kind of ayurvedic treatments with turmeric concoctions. He along with 41 others, mostly relatives and close aides of Chandy, submitted a memorandum to the CM Pinarayi Vijayan and Health Minister Veena George.

In the letter, he stated that the CM should intervene to ensure proper treatment for his predecessor. Following this, Oommen Chandy himself had posted a video clarifying that these are just baseless rumors. However, he was hospitalized the same day. 

The very next day, the government formed a six member board of medical experts to oversee the former CM’s treatment. On 12 February, Oommen Chandy was airlifted to Bengaluru to undergo treatment at the HCG Cancer Center. 

Amidst all this, the senior leader's son, Chandy Oommen issued clarifications stating that those leveling allegations should present concrete proof. 

“Appa (Oommen Chandy) suffers from vocal cord cancer. He himself speaks with experts and decides on the treatment. He was brought to Thiruvananthapuram as he had begun to recover. However, many are spreading fake propaganda saying that he was denied quality treatment. Some even said that I was trying to kill Appa in order to become MLA.” he was quoted as saying. 

Commenting on the allegation that their family opted for prayers instead of medicines, Chandy Oommen said, “Any believer can pray for medicines to take effect and get better. However, we believe that praying instead of taking medicines is futile.”

The senior leader's son and family often voiced their disappointments about such rumors. They stated that in the name of propaganda and fake allegations, people often forget that Oommen Chandy is their father foremost.