Family & politics: Congress leader and former Defence Minister AK Antony suddenly came into the news on Thursday. Since he left the Defence Ministry office in 2014 (from October 2006 to May 2014), Antony was seldom seen as politically very active. Today, he was in the news because his son Anil Antony joined a rival camp- Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP). This comes as a rude shock to senior Antony.
"Anil’s decision to join BJP has hurt me. It is a very wrong decision. India’s base is unity and religious harmony. After 2014, Modi government came to power, they’re systematically diluting diversity and secularism. BJP believes only in uniformity, they’re destroying the constitutional values of the country," he said. However, it not a big surprise for embattling Congress as it has seen a host of politicians who deserted the grand old party.
Meanwhile, the father-son duo, on two opposite sides of the fence, displayed a beautiful democratic picture in which a family imbibes different political ideologies without breaking the family as an institution. There are several examples in India where family members tow different political lines. For a long time, 'Scindia family' was a towering example of an ideal democratic family. Vijaya Raje Scindia was one of the founders of BJP but her son Madhavrao Scindia was a Congress member till his last breath. Madhavrao Scindia's son Jyotiraditya played a long inning in Congress before joining BJP in 2020. Even Madhavrao Scindia's sister Vasundhara Raje is a prominient BJP leader in Rajashtan.
Here are some families that are testimony to India's vivid democracy
Yadav family: Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is known for his anti-BJP stand. He remains in news for attacking UP CM Yogi Adityanath and Narendra Modi-led Central government. But, his sister-in-law Aparna Yadav, who recently joined BJP, can be heard praising PM Modi and CM Yogi.
Gandhi family: When Sonia Gandhi was at the helm of Congress, her sister-in-law Maneka Gandhi was in the rival camp BJP. Even her son Varun Gandhi is a member of the saffron party. Mother-son duo often attacks Congress.
Thackeray family: Raj Thackery was once considered a bright successor of Shiv Sena founder and his uncle Balasaheb Keshav Thackeray but he was replaced by his cousin Uddhav Thackery. Subsequently, Raj Thackeray formed his own party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in 2006.
Reddy family: YSRCP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and his sister Yeduguri Sandinti Sharmila Reddy share different political ideologies. Sharmila recently floated her political outfit YSR Telangana Party on 8 July 2021.
Also read- 'Hurt by his very wrong decision': AK Antony on son Anil joining BJP
