Congress biggest communal force in country: BJP on Antony's statement

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday tore into the Congress over former defence minister A.K. Antony's recent statement that the Congress party's apparent proximity with minority groups created doubts in the minds of the people about its secularism.

BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh said, "Antony statement shows the vote bank driven stand of the Congress towards the minority. It is a late realization for him."

"In the last 65 years, the Congress has always indulged in vote bank politics and minority appeasement policies, and the country has suffered a lot due to all this," he added.

He said that Antony's statement has made it clear that Congress party is biggest communal force in the country.

Meanwhile, the Congress was tight lipped on Antony's statement.

"It will be inappropriate to say anything on A K Antony's comment without knowing in what context he spoke," said Congress leader Manish Tewari.

On Friday, at a party function to commemorate the late C K Govindan Nair in Thiruvananthapuram, Antony had said, "Some sections of society have an impression that the party is inclined to certain communities or organisations. Congress policy is equal justice to everyone. But people have doubt whether that policy is being implemented or not."

"This doubt is created by the party's proximity towards minority communities, and such a situation would open the door for the entry of communal forces into Kerala," Antony added.