Congress leader AK Antony has reacted to his son Anil Antony joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying the move “really hurt” him. “I am pained by Anil's decision to join the BJP. It was a wrong decision,” the veteran politician, who served as the defence minister during the UPA government, said while speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.
“India’s base is unity and religious harmony. After 2014, Modi government came to power. They are systematically diluting diversity and secularism. BJP believes only in uniformity, they are destroying the constitutional values of the country,” AK Antony lashed out at the BJP, while speaking to media persons.
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"My loyalty will always be with 'Nehru family'," he added.
Anil K Antony joined the saffron camp this morning in the presence of Union ministers Piyush Goyal and V Muraleedharan in Delhi. He used to head the Digital Media cell of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.
‘Maundy Thursday’
The Congress came down heavily Anil Antony for joining the BJP, accusing him of "betraying his father” on "Maundy Thursday".
"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," KPCC chief K Sudhakaran told reporters in
Kerala.
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According to the Bible, one of Christ's twelve disciples, Judas Iscariot, made an agreement with the authorities to betray Jesus in exchange for 30 pieces of silver, on a Wednesday, which came to be known as Holy Wednesday. The next day – which came to be known as Maundy Thursday, signifying the Last Supper of Christ, when Jesus joined his disciples after prayer – Judas kissed him on the cheek to help authorities identify him.
Following Judas's betrayal, they took Jesus away and crucified him on a Friday, known as Good Friday among Christians.
Sudhakaran said it was Anil's "present to his father" on Maundy Thursday.
‘Have taken the right step’
"This is not about personalities, this is about differences of opinion and ideas. I strongly believe that I have taken the right step. My respect for my father will remain the same," Antony said when asked whether he had consulted his father before joining the BJP.
He had quit the party after criticising its stand on the controversial BBC documentary film on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Antony slammed the Congress leadership for working for a "single family", referring to the Gandhi family, instead of working for the country.
Welcoming him to the BJP fold, Union minister Piyush Goyal described him as a "very grounded political worker", who was convinced that the BJP cares for the country and shared the prime minister's vision of sustainable growth.
