A day after Congress leader Anil K Antony called out the BBC for its vicious documentary on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he tendered his resignation citing coercion from the grand old party.
In a tweet, the son of former Union Minister AK Antony said, “I have resigned from my roles in Congress.cIntolerant 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.”
In his letter, Anil K Antony lashed out at Congress ‘sycophants’ and ‘chamchas’ and pointed out how such a behaviour is the lone criterion of merit within the party. “Sadly, we do not have much common ground,” he emphasised.
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. pic.twitter.com/0i8QpNIoXW
— Anil K Antony (@anilkantony) January 25, 2023
“I would prefer to continue my other professional endeavours without being fed this negativity, and being involved in these destructive narratives, many against the very core interests of India,” he said in his parting note.
Anil K Antony has now relinquished his position as the Convenor of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee Digital Media and as the National Co-ordinator of All India Congress Committee Social Media and Digital Communications Cell.
The background of the controversy
Earlier on Tuesday (January 24), he had hit out at the BBC for its attempt to undermine India’s sovereignty.
He had tweeted, “Despite large differences with BJP, I think those in placing views of BBC, a state-sponsored channel with a long history of prejudices, and of Jack Straw, the brain behind the Iraq war, over institutions is setting a dangerous precedence, will undermine our sovereignty.”
Despite large differences with BJP, I think those in 🇮🇳 placing views of BBC, a 🇬🇧 state sponsored channel with a long history of 🇮🇳 prejudices,and of Jack Straw, the brain behind the Iraq war, over 🇮🇳 institutions is setting a dangerous precedence,will undermine our sovereignty.
— Anil K Antony (@anilkantony) January 24, 2023
While speaking to ANI, he said, “I was speaking from my conscience. No matter whatever internal differences we may have, we should not let that be exploited by external agencies to create division in this country.”
“I felt that we were going towards that dangerous trajectory. hence, I made a certain tweet,” Anil K Antony added.
#WATCH | No matter whatever internal differences we may have, we should not let that be exploited by external agencies to create division in this country: Anil K Antony, Digital communications, Kerala Congress over BBC documentary on PM Modi pic.twitter.com/AYYtKrgAkK
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2023
Recently, BBC aired a two-part documentary attacking PM Narendra Modi’s tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister during the Gujarat riots of 2002. India has denounced the controversial program as a “propaganda piece” that is designed to push a discredited narrative.
One of the nefarious objectives behind the documentary was to whitewash the role of Islamists in the Godhra train carnage, which claimed a total of 59 Hindu lives.
It further used the already discredited statements of Sanjiv Bhatt and RB Sreekumar to attack the Indian Prime Minister. BBC even used the claims of Babu Bajrangi and Haresh Bhatt, who have admitted that they were reading the script given by a journalist, to try and declare PM Modi guilty.
