AK Antony's son Anil quits Congress posts day after embarrassing party over BBC Documentary row

A day after his post supporting the Narendra Modi government's stand on the BBC documentary embarrassed the Congress party, former UPA-era Defence Minister AK Antony's son Anil K Antony has resigned from the party positions. Anil, however, said that he is not resigning from the party. 

Also Read: 'Setting dangerous precedence...' AK Antony's son Anil speaks in Modi govt's favour on BBC documentary row

In a post on Twitter, Anil said, "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."

"... 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," Anil said in the redacted resignation letter he shared on Twitter.

The BJP had on Tuesday received unexpected support over the controversial BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Anil, who said that placing the views of the British broadcaster over that of Indian institutions would 'undermine' the country's sovereignty.

Anil had, till recently, handled the digital communications of the Congress party's Kerala unit. His remarks came at a time when the Kerala unit of the Congress party announced that it would hold screenings of the documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots across the state.

'Despite large differences with BJP, I think those (in India) placing views of BBC, a state-sponsored channel with a long history of (alleged India) prejudices, and of Jack Straw, the brain behind the Iraq war, over (Indian) institutions are setting a dangerous precedence, will undermine our sovereignty,' Anil had tweeted on Tuesday.

• Anil Antony
• BBC Documentary
• Rahul Gandhi