G Sudhakaran Does U-Turn After Backlash Over Remarks Against DYFI's Free Meal Distribution at Medical Colleges

Alappuzha: Ambalapuzha MLA G Sudhakaran has reversed his position after widespread criticism erupted over his remarks mocking the community-driven free meal distribution carried out at medical colleges across the state. His new claim is that he only said the food should be distributed outside medical college premises — not that it should be stopped altogether.

At an event in Alappuzha the previous day, Sudhakaran had criticised the free meal initiative run by DYFI and other organisations within medical college campuses, saying no organisation should be permitted to carry out such activities.

However, photographs and Facebook posts showing Sudhakaran himself participating in DYFI's "Hridayapoorvam" free meal initiative at medical colleges across the state have now gone viral, adding to the controversy. When the food distribution programme at Vandanam Medical College crossed 500 days and later 1,000 days, Sudhakaran had posted about it on Facebook with photographs, praising it as a humane and noble initiative. He had commended DYFI and written that the vast majority of patients in government hospitals and their attendants often go without proper meals, and that DYFI's programme is a lifeline for them.

His recent speech, however, was directly contrary to that earlier position — he had said people were distributing rice under their party flags and that all of this must be removed.