Thiruvananthapuram: Health minister K. K. Shylaja on Saturday attacked the Endosulfan-Affected People’s Front protesting in front of the secretariat by ‘parading children suffering effects of the deadly pesticide.’
Her statement came after protestors decided to hold a ‘grievance rally’ to the official residence of the chief minister on Sunday.
Their meeting with her and revenue minister E. Chandrasekharan, who also hails from the region, had failed on Friday.
Ms Shailaja said that the protesters were causing inconvenience to the children by bringing them to the protest venue.
She said she did not know what their goal was as the government had assured to consider all their demands. n P6
"Earlier, there were many prominent persons in support, but now they are nowhere to be seen,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, social activist Daya Bai, who is also staging indefinite fast with them, said that the minister’s remark came from her feeling of guilt.
"We are not exhibiting children, but showing the world that such people also exist in the state,” she said.
Eight families are on indefinite hunger strike with demands including bringing all affected people on the government list of Endosulfan victims and distribution of compensation as the Supreme Court directed, and to a waiver of their loans.
