Kerala legislator attacked for criticising CPM leader
Balram faced a hostile crowd of Marxist supporters when he went for an event in his Thrithala constituency
Thiruvanananthapuram: Congress legislator V.T. Balram, who had been facing animosity in the cyber world from the cadres of the Communist Party of India-Marxist for his scathing remarks on the party’s late leader A.K. Gopalan, on Wednesday was attacked physically by CPM supporters.
Balram faced a hostile crowd of CPM supporters when he went for an event in Kappur panchayat in Thrithala constituency which he represents in the assembly.
Hundreds of party supporters gathered at the venue to express their displeasure. Police had to struggle to provide protection to the MLA even as the crowd resorted to pelting rotten eggs and stones.
The Opposition United Democratic Front supporters, who had also gathered to offer moral support to Balram, clashed with the CPM workers, and police resorted to a cane charge to disperse the violent crowd. Protestors broke the glasses of the MLA’s car.
Several people, including some policemen, were injured. This was the first public meeting attended by the MLA after he made the critical comments against Gopalan.
To register their protest against the violent incidents in Thrithala, the UDF has called for a dawn-to-dusk shutdown on Thursday.
Balram had commented about Gopalan’s marriage to Susheela Gopalan — who also went on to become a senior CPM leader and minister — stating that the late leader had wooed her when she was in her early teens.
CPM supporters have taken offence to his statement and have been trolling him on social media over the past few days. Several Congress leaders have criticised Balram’s comments against Gopalan, but the MLA has gone ahead and posted more critical remarks against Gopalan on social media.
