THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: UDF today rallied behind lead front partner Congress' MLA V T Balram, facing the ire of ruling CPI(M) cadres for his alleged unsavoury remarks against Communist icon late A K Gopalan, saying it would face the attack politically and legally.
Reacting to the attack on Balaram yesterday at Thrithala in Palakkad with rotten eggs, allegedly by CPI(M) workers, opposition leader in the assembly Ramesh Chennithala said the incident was unfortunate.
UDF would face the attack on its MLA politically and legally, the Congress leader said.
Chennithala said that there was no "difference" between CPI(M) and Sanghparivar, that "indulged" in physical attack on matters that could not be faced ideologically.
Chennithala wanted the assembly Speaker P Sreeramakrishan to ensure protection to Balaram in his constituency Thrithala to perform his duties as a legislature.
Protection was sought in the wake of CPI(M) announcing that Balaram would be prevented from attending public functions at the constituency, Chennithala said.
Balaram, in a Facebook post on January five, had made some objectionable remarks about the love affair and marriage of Gopalan with his wife Susheela, who was much younger to him.
A many time Lok Sabha MP, Gopalan, called AKG by his admirers, was popularly known as "crusader of the downtrodden." The remark had triggered widespread criticism cutting cross party lines and the CPI-M leadership had demanded an apology from the 39-year-old two time MLA.