Pathanamthitta (Kerala): Kerala Health Minister K Muraleedharan on Sunday clarified that the state government was not opposed to the distribution of free food (pothichoru or packed meals) to patients and their bystanders in government hospitals. He said the government's objection was to the encroachment of hospital premises and political activities conducted under the guise of food distribution.

The clarification came hours after his remarks on restricting political activities and banning the distribution of food under party banners inside government hospitals sparked criticism from both the opposition CPM and the BJP.

In a statement, Muraleedharan said the controversy related specifically to the situation at Alappuzha Medical College and should not be viewed as a broader policy against providing free meals to patients.

He alleged that some organisations had "organisedly encroached" on space within the medical college in the name of food distribution, affecting the institution's development work.

"The objection is to the encroachment of space, not to the distribution of food," the minister said.

Government proposes community kitchens

Muraleedharan said the government was setting up a community kitchen at Alappuzha Medical College to ensure food reached all patients and their bystanders. He appealed to voluntary organisations to support the initiative.

"There is no politics, religion or caste in food. The government's concern is that the poor should get food. It is not an issue of who provides it," he said.

Earlier in the day, the minister told reporters that the Health Department alone had authority within government hospitals. He said no political party or organisation would be allowed to carry out activities inside hospital premises or distribute food under party banners or flags.

Instead, organisations willing to contribute would be able to do so through the proposed community kitchens.

Muraleedharan had announced on Saturday that community kitchens would be introduced in government hospitals across Kerala to streamline the distribution of free meals. Under the new system, organisations could contribute food only through these kitchens and would not be permitted to distribute it independently under political identities, banners or flags. The issue first came to the fore after former minister and Ambalapuzha MLA G Sudhakaran criticised the practice of voluntary organisations distributing free food at Alappuzha Medical College Hospital while displaying party banners and flags.

CPM, BJP oppose restrictions

Sudhakaran's remarks drew strong criticism from the CPM, with former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accusing the Congress-led UDF government of attempting to dismantle a long-running humanitarian initiative instead of addressing pressing issues in the health sector.

In a statement, Vijayan questioned why the government wanted to stop the CPM's youth wing, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), from continuing its free food distribution programme for patients and bystanders in government hospitals. He described it as a model voluntary initiative carried out without political discrimination.

He alleged that the government was acting to halt the programme before putting an effective alternative in place, despite the health sector facing serious administrative challenges. Calling the minister's position "strange", Vijayan said a government should solve people's problems rather than dismantle an existing solution.

Former minister P Rajeev said preventing the distribution of free food on political grounds would be counterproductive, while CPM MLA P A Mohammed Riyas urged the minister to hold discussions with youth organisations, including the DYFI, to reach a consensus.

Rajya Sabha MP A A Rahim said no humane person could oppose free food distribution and maintained that the DYFI would continue the initiative. DYFI state secretary and MLA V K Sanoj also described the minister's announcement as "inhuman" and said the organisation would continue its 'Hridayapoorvam' programme until the government established a reliable alternative.

The BJP also criticised the minister's stand. Former state BJP president K Surendran questioned the decision to prevent voluntary organisations from distributing free food packets in hospitals and expressed doubts over the proposed community kitchen model, arguing that a similar initiative had failed during the Covid-19 pandemic.