'Wrong decision, I'm hurt': Veteran Congress leader AK Antony after son Anil joins BJP

Hours after his son Anil Antony joined BJP, veteran Congress leader AK Antony called it a 'wrong decision' and said he was 'hurt'. "Anil's decision to join the BJP has hurt me. It is a very wrong decision," AK Antony, who served as the country's defence minister from 2006 to 2014, said. The Congress leader targeted the saffron party and said it was "systematically diluting diversity and secularism".

"India's base is unity and religious harmony. After 2014, the Modi government came to power, they are systematically diluting diversity and secularism. BJP believes only in uniformity, they’re destroying the constitutional values of the country," AK Antony said while speaking to reporters soon after his son Anil Antony joined the BJP in Delhi. "My loyalty will always be with 'Nehru family'," he also said. 

Earlier today, Anil Antony joined the saffron party in the presence of Union Minister Piyush Goyal and V Muraleedharan. After joining the party, Anil said many of the Congress leaders believe that their duty was to work for a particular family "but I believe that my duty is to work for the people".

Anil said PM Modi has a clear vision to make India a developed country in the next 25 years. "The current Congress party is prioritising interests of 2-3 individuals more than national interest. I believe the BJP leadership has a very clear vision of making this a developed country," he said.  

Anil was earlier with the Congress but he resigned from all roles in January after he was asked to remove a tweet criticising the controversial BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said he received "intolerant calls to retract a tweet by those fighting for free speech". 

"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. Redacted resignation letter below," Anil Antony tweeted.

Anil had slammed the BBC documentary, calling out its "anti-India prejudices". He opposed the documentary and said that placing the views of the British broadcaster over Indian institutions would "undermine" the country’s sovereignty.