Following the controversy over comments made by him against Communist icon AK Gopalan, Congress MLA VT Balram was attacked with rotten eggs allegedly by CPI (M) workers at a function at Kootanad, near Chalisseri in Palakkad on Wednesday.
Besides this, there was an attempt to attack his vehicle as well.
Tension prevailed in the area after stones were pelted by workers of the CPI (M) and Congress on each other.
Police were seen caning the workers in an attempt to disperse them.
Chalissery Police Sub Inspector Manoj told TNM that no one has been taken into custody and the police are yet to determine how the violence began.
Balram was attending the inauguration of a private lab.
This was his first public function after his Facebook post accusing AKG of marrying a woman who was several years younger to him and ridiculing the underground life of Communist leaders during emergency, kicked off a row in the state.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has termed the incident as Fascist.
“Balram expressed his opinion on something. The Congress has made it clear that it was not the opinion of the party. But this kind of attempt to block someone’s freedom to travel and speak is Fascism,” he told media.
After the incident, VT Balram took to Facebook to react to the incident. He wrote that he will not surrender to "Gopalasena", taking a jibe at AK Gopalan.
The students and youth wing of the CPI (M), the SFI, the DYFI and the Democratic Women’s Association have demanded an apology from Balram.
While the senior leaders of the Congress came out with statements that Balram’s opinion was not that of the party, senior CPI (M) leaders like Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and former CM VS Achuthanandan have come out with strongly worded criticism against him.
However, Balram has been putting fresh posts justifying his comments on AKG while some of the youth leaders like Dean Kuriakose and IUML MLA KM Shaji have come out in support of him.