Setback to Congress as ex-Defence Minister's son Anil Antony switches to BJP
New Delhi, April 6: In a major setback to the Congress, former Defence Minister AK Antony's son Anil Antony joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi on Thursday. It comes over two months after Anil Antony resigned from his positions in the Congress following a row over his comments on a BBC documentary on Gujarat riots.
Anil Antony joined the BJP in the presence of Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and V Muraleedharan. Kerala BJP chief K Surendran and senior party leaders Tarun Chugh and Anil Baluni were also present at the occasion. Anil Antony thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his induction into BJP.
In January, Anil Antony had prefaced his comments on the BBC documentary by saying “despite his large differences with the BJP” he believed that the documentary could undermine India’s sovereignty.
"Despite large differences with BJP, I think those in India placing views of BBC, a UK state-sponsored channel with a long history of prejudices, and of Jack Straw, the brain behind the Iraq war, over Indian institutions is setting a dangerous precedence, will undermine our sovereignty," Anthony tweeted.
He then alleged that he had received threat calls and hate messages "through the night".
While posting about his resignation on Twitter, Anil Antony mocked the Congress party by saying that he received intolerant calls to retract a tweet by those "fighting for free speech".
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"I have resigned from my roles in @incindia, @INCKerala. Intolerant calls to retract a tweet, by those fighting for free speech. I refused. @facebook wall of hate/abuses by ones supporting a trek to promote love! Hypocrisy thy name is! Life goes on," Anil K Antony said in a tweet.
The development comes a year before the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.
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- ANI
