In another possible incident of rift within the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) parties, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday slammed the Left Democratic Front (LDF)-led Kerala government after its student wing allegedly attacked state governor Arif Mohammed Khan’s vehicle.

In a post on X, Tharoor slammed the Vijayan government saying that the police under the Communist rule have been complicit in the ruling party’s worst excesses.

“Disgraceful behaviour by SFI goons in blocking @KeralaGovernor Shri Arif Mohd Khan Sahib’s car yesterday and assaulting his vehicle. His fury is entirely understandable,” he said.

“The police under Communist rule have been agents of lawlessness, complicit in the ruling party’s worst excesses. They allowed an assault on the Governor while allowing the manhandling of peaceful student demonstrators against the CM. Shameful,” the Thiruvananthapuram MP added.

Governor Khan on Monday accused chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan of ‘conspiring’ to hurt him physically. He alleged that the activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the CPI(M), held a black flag protest and hit his car while he was on his way to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to leave for Delhi.

Khan said, “Police have been prevented from acting against these rowdies, criminals. This was the fifth incident. The rods on which they had the black flags, were using those rods to hit the car. There are so many scratches on the car.”

“Everything is being done under his direction (Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan). It is he who has hatched this conspiracy. These people are working on the instructions of the Chief Minister. I do not try to scare anybody, there is no question I shall be scared of anything,” he added.

Meanwhile, the state police have taken 17 SFI workers into custody with seven workers being arrested for allegedly hitting the Governor’s vehicle. The case has been registered under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The LDF also known as Left Front (Kerala) is an alliance of left-wing political parties in the state. Though the Congress is opposed to the LDF in Kerala, it is a partner of INDI alliance.