A few days ago Congress MLA VT Balram in Kerala had his photograph with transgender Sheethal Shyam splashed all across social media by CPI(M) sympathizers who claimed that the duo had got married in a secret ceremony. 

CPI(M) MP MB Rajesh on Friday took to Facebook to apologize to Sheethal for his party workers’ antics, and to warn the latter against indulging in acts not in tune with the Left ideology. Sheetal had to bear the brunt of sexist comments by trolls. 

Balram was targeted for slamming CPI(M) workers in Kerala who were falling over themselves in paying homage to Fidel Castro, while staying mum about the Maoists who were brutally killed in the Nilambur forests of Malappuram by the Kerala police in a reportedly fake encounter. 

The Left MP was unequivocal in his apology to Sheetal, while indirectly including Balaram in its ambit by saying that character assassination is just not done.

“Dear Sheethal, we have neither met in person nor do we know each other. I would firstly like to apologize for the bad experience you suffered at the hands of some self-declared ‘comrades’. I strongly condemn such acts,” he wrote. 

Rajesh went on to elaborate on the Leftist ideology that seeks equality and protection of all the marginalized classes of society. Instead of indulging in healthy debate, abuse and personal harassment cannot be tolerated, he added.

“I have often seen people taunting others based on their physical looks or disabilities. That is gross injustice,” he said. He cited the example of EMS Nampoothiripad who used to be mercilessly teased for his stammer.

“Those who indulge in such abuse are undemocratic, mentally unstable, cultureless ignoramuses. They do so only because they fail to convey their stance effectively. The Malayali attitude on social media platforms should actually be a topic for discussion. Healthy debates are what such platforms need generate,” the Lok Sabha legislator wrote. 

Rajesh did not forget to mention how he himself has been at the receiving end of trolls many a time.