Thrissur: A late-night Facebook post on Lord Ram and Goddess Sita has landed Thrissur MLA and senior CPI leader P Balachandran into a controversy. Balachandran later retracted the post as criticism arose in the social media saying that it had hurt the sentiments of Hindu believers. Amid speculations that the MLA’s Facebook page was hacked, the legislator posted an apology note on his social media account.

Balachandran, who posted the 'derogatory story' linked to characters in Ramayana, deleted the post within minutes. He also restricted his Facebook profile, so that only his friends could see what he shares or writes on his page.

The photographs of the post, however, were widely shared prompting many Hindu devotees and BJP to come down heavily on the MLA. Thrissur BJP district president Adv KK Aneesh Kumar, shared the photograph of Balachandran’s post saying that only a communist could trample on the religious beliefs of crores of Hindus with such vile practices. “May the people who gave an opportunity for this representative and his party, must hang their heads in shame if they have any self-respect,” he said.

Amid the controversy and heated debates on social media platforms Balachandran tried to put an end to the issue by posting an apology note on Thursday: “I posted an old story on FB the other day. It is not meant to offend anyone. And I withdrew it within minutes. No one should worry about it any more. I am sincerely sorry.” 

Meanwhile, CPI Thrissur District Secretary KK Valsaraj said that the MLA made a mistake and that the latter's statement was not the party's position.

The right wing organisations are planning to stage protest programmes in the city against the post by the Thrissur MLA in the city on Thursday.