People thinking for nation’s sovereignty, integrity can’t remain in Congress: Shergill

New Delhi, January 25

BJP spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill on Wednesday seized on the resignation of Kerala leader Anil Antony from his posts in the Congress to take a swipe at his former party, claiming those who think for the nation’s sovereignty and integrity can no longer remain there.

"Self-respecting individuals who think for the nation, for nation's sovereignty & integrity can no longer remain in the Congress. It's not 'mohabbat ki dukan' but 'chamchon ka durbar' which dominates Cong," he said, echoing Antony's charge of sycophancy in the party.

Shergill claimed that, “Speaking for Pak, China and propagandists is criterion to remain in Cong now.” Though he did not name Antony, the context was clear on a day the son of veteran Congress leader AK Antony resigned from all his party posts following widespread criticism of his tweet against the controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots.

He said he was getting "intolerant calls" to retract his tweet against the documentary and the "wall of hate/abuses" on Facebook over the same issue have prompted him to take the decision.

Anil Antony had on Tuesday tweeted that those who support and place the views of the British broadcaster and of former UK foreign secretary Jack Straw, the "brain behind the Iraq war" (involving the US-led coalition in 2003) over Indian institutions are setting a dangerous precedence.