Anil Joining BJP Has Hurt Me, Was A Wrong Decision, Says Father And Congress Leader AK Antony

The Congress said Anil betrayed his father on Maundy Thursday and his joining the BJP was not a matter of concern for the party.

Veteran Congress leader AK Antony

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Former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader AK Antony on Thursday said he was pained by his son Anil joining the BJP. Anil Antony joined the BJP in presence of Union ministers Piyush Goyal and V Muraleedharan, weeks after he quit the Congress.

"Anil's decision to join BJP has hurt me. It is a very wrong decision," ANI quoted AK Antony as saying.

Lashing out at BJP, AK Antony said BJP was destroying the constitutional values of the country. He said his loyalty would always be with the "Nehru family".

"India's base is unity and religious harmony. After 2014, Modi govt came to power, they're systematically diluting diversity and secularism. BJP believes only in uniformity, they're destroying the constitutional values of the country," Antony further said.

The Congress said Anil betrayed his father on Maundy Thursday. "Today is the day of betrayal. Anil Antony betrays his father on Maundy Thursday," Congress said.

KPCC chief K Sudhakaran said Anil had not been given any party responsibilities and that his joining the BJP was not a matter of concern for the Congress.

"Today (Maundy Thursday) is the day of Judas (Iscariot) who betrayed Jesus Christ for a payment of 30 silver coins. Many such things will happen on that day. This (Anil joining BJP) should also be seen as such an incident," PTI quoted Sudhakaran as saying.

Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter. The day is observed to commemorate Jesus Christ's Last Supper with his disciples.

READ | Anil Antony, Son Of Former Union Minister And Congress Leader AK Antony, Joins BJP

Antony had quit the Congress in January this year after he defied his party line and criticised a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Antony termed the BBC documentary on Modi a "dangerous precedent". 

Antony, who headed the IT cell of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, slammed Congress for working for a "single family" instead of working for the country.

"Today, several Congress workers and leaders believe it is their 'dharma' to work for a family. My 'dharma' is to work for the country," Anil Antony said after joining the BJP.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a very clear vision of putting India in a leading place in a multi-polar world," he further said.