Received threats over tweet on BBC's Modi documentary, says Anil Antony after quitting Congress

Anil Antony was the head of the IT wing of Kerala Congress

Former Congress leader Anil K Antony on Wednesday said that he was getting threat calls and hate messages after his tweet on BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Antony, son of former Defence Minister A K Antony quit Congress citing "intolerant calls to retract a tweet."

Also Read — AK Antony's son quits Cong a day after post on BBC film

Speaking to ANI, he said, "A lot of things that happened in the last 24 hours, especially from certain corners of Congress have hurt me a lot".

"From where I come from, I don't think that these are the people I should be working with. It is very disappointing to see where it has reached," he added.

As the BJP leaders slammed the BBC's controversial documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an unexpected move, Antony also condemned the project.

Anil Antony, who was the head of the IT wing of Kerala Congress, had tweeted: Despite large differences with BJP, I think those in India placing views of BBC, a (UK) state sponsored channel with a long history of India prejudices, and of Jack Straw, the brain behind the Iraq war, over Indian institutions is setting a dangerous precedence, will undermine our sovereignty."

Regarding his decision to resign from the party, he said the decision was personal and that he had not discussed it with his father. "I've sent my resignation and I hope that the leadership will accept it. I don't think this Congress has space for me," he said.

His father AK Antony did not comment on Anil's action when he was approached by media in Kerala, saying journalists should have some sense not to seek reactions when he was attending a marriage function.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who received the now-ousted leader's support during the Congress presidential elections, did not extend his support to Antony either, who deemed the young leader's views as "immature".

However, while thanking the Kerala party leadership and Tharoor in particular in the letter, Anil said he has his own unique strengths which would have enabled him to contribute effectively to the party in several ways.

Though he has not resigned from the primary membership of the party, which he took it in 2017, he said he would prefer to continue his "other professional endeavours without being fed this negativity, and being involved in these destructive narratives, many against the very core interests" of the country. "These I strongly believe will end up in the dustbin of history with time," he added.

(With DHNS inputs)