New Delhi: Congress veteran AK Antony's son Anil K Antony quit the party after the Congress leadership reportedly pressed him to ‘retract’ a tweet by him that called out the BBC a state sponsored channel with a ‘long history of prejudices against India’.
Anil Antony— who was part of the Congress’s social media cell—caused dismay in Congress circles in Kerala after his tweet contrasted party's position.
His resignation that came closely afterwards served a more damaging blow to the party as the veteran leader’s son remained stuck to his guns, despite apparent pressure on him to withdraw the tweet.
Anil K Antony, who kept a low profile in the party all along nevertheless being the son of one of the national leaders of Congress, quit the party alleging "intolerant calls to retract a tweet”.
On his way out of the party, Antony didn’t mince words in criticising the national congress leadership whom he called ‘a bunch of sycophants and chamchas, who would unquestionably be at your beck and call’.
Sharing his resignation on Twitter Antony cited reasons for quitting with a caustic reference to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and those in the leadership as “ones supporting a trek to promote love”.
"By now, I have been made well aware that you, your colleagues, and the coterie around the leadership are only keen to work with a bunch of sycophants and chamchas, who would unquestionably be at your beck and call. This has become the lone criterion of merit," he reportedly said.
The resignation of Antony comes after the state congress leadership on Monday announced plans to screen across Kerala the BBC documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’.
But Antony’s tweet that ruffled up the Congress leadership termed the BBC documentary against PM Modi "dangerous precedent".
"I have resigned from my roles in the Congress. 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," he wrote.
Meanwhile NDTV reported Antony as saying that he had "no problem" with anyone in the Congress party, including Rahul Gandhi. He added that “in the 75th year of our independence, we shouldn't allow foreigners or their institutions to undermine our sovereignty or run down our institutions."
AK Antony emerged in the national leadership of the Congress after serving as the Chief Minister of Kerala to become Union Defence Minister when the party was in power at the centre.