V D Satheesan, Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly.
Credit: PTI Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led opposition UDF has spoken out against a recent Facebook post by a CPI MLA in Kerala, denouncing it for its derogatory remarks against Lord Ram, Sita, and Lakshman, which they say have caused offense to religious sentiments.
The opposition also urged the MLA's party and the state's ruling Left to clarify their stand on the matter.
The Communist Party of India's (CPI) legislator from the Thrissur Assembly seat, P Balachandran, had withdrawn the post after it became controversial.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan said that merely by taking down the post the hurt caused to people will not be healed.
"It is not acceptable for those who have publicly stated that they do not believe in temple worship, to continuously hurt the sentiments of believers. Bhakti and faith are personal matters," Satheesan said in a statement.
He said that Balachandran's Facebook post insults the concept of God and hurts believers and such remarks should have never come from a representative of the people.
Attacking the CPI leader, Satheesan said that Balachandran's language was vulgar, his expressions were inappropriate and his post only provided ammunition to the forces trying to sow the seeds of communalism in Kerala.
After withdrawing the controversial FB post, the CPI MLA had said that he had simply posted an old story but expressed regret over the pain it had caused to the devotees of Lord Ram.
Balachandran withdrew the Facebook post after facing heavy criticism for hurting the sentiments of Hindu believers.
His controversial post on the Ramayana alleged that Sita served 'porotta' and meat to Lord Ram and Lakshman.