Key Points

"I am 85 years old now, and if I am not dead and gone, I will speak out after the Assembly elections (slated to be held in April/May 2026)," the veteran Congress leader said at a rare press conference.

"I was not intending to speak to the media today, but two incidents, which referred to my tenure, were being taken out again and again. It was taken up again in the ongoing Assembly session by the ruling Left, so I decided to meet you, and I will keep myself to those two incidents," he said.

Antony went on to say that several journalists and others have come and met him in the past to write about his life.

"So if I am alive after the Assembly elections, I will definitely speak out on certain things in my political life," he said.

He also pointed out that it's been 21 years since he exited from Kerala politics, as after 2004, he has been involved in national politics.

Antony appeared before the media at the state party headquarters here to respond to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's criticism on the floor of the Assembly the other day.

"When I faced such a one-sided assault, I felt compelled to respond to the police action at the Sree Narayana Guru abode at Sivagiri in 1995. As per a High Court order, I had to send the police after exhausting all other measures. The Kerala High Court had directed to see a new set of elected office bearers at Sivagiri take over the reins. The events that unfolded when the police entered Sivagiri to ensure Swami Prakashananda's takeover were unfortunate," he said.

Referring to the Muthanga incident (2003), Antony expressed deep regret.

"It was I who provided the largest share of land to Adivasis. Yet, I was accused of burning them alive," he said.

He stressed that Muthanga was a wildlife sanctuary, and when huts were erected there, all political parties and the media had demanded their removal.

"When there was police action, one adivasi and one policeman died. Then everyone changed their stand and blamed me. I also wish to point out that, till today after the incident 15 years it was the Left that ruled, and they have not given the land to them. None can do that either," Antony added.

"So my request to the present Left government is to let the judicial probe report into the Sivagiri action and the CBI report on the Muthanga firing be released. Let it be made public," Antony said, noting that he is not active but not retired from politics.

- IANS