Union Minister Suresh Gopi, Keralam Health Minister Muraleedharan in verbal duel over AIIMS

Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi

Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi and Keralam Health Minister K. Muraleedharan on Tuesday (October 6, 2026) engaged in a verbal row over the establishment of an AIIMS in the State.

While Mr. Gopi dared Mr. Muraleedharan to sit and discuss the matter with him, the latter brushed aside the challenge, stating that he does not see the Union Minister as a politician.

The verbal duel began after Mr. Gopi was told by reporters in Kochi that Mr. Muraleedharan had allegedly said that the Union Minister was making statements about establishing an AIIMS without being aware of the entire facts. Irked by that, Mr. Gopi responded: ”ask him to come and sit with me on the issue if he has the courage for it.”

At the same time, the Union Minister also said that he was not sure if Mr. Muraleedharan had made any such statement. He also said that he was tired of explaining repeatedly about the Central and State lists in the Constitution. “Health is a State subject, but the Union government provides infrastructural support. We want AIIMS in all States. The State government has to identify the location according to the prescribed parameters,” Mr. Gopi said.