The minister was punished with defection for his anti-party activities.

The correct answer is A. resignation.

Defection is the act of leaving one’s party or organization to join another. In the context of the question, the minister was punished with defection for his anti-party activities. This means that he was removed from his position in the party and was no longer allowed to represent the party.

The other options are not correct because they do not describe a punishment.

• Resignation is the act of voluntarily leaving one’s position.
• Cooperation is the act of working together towards a common goal.
• Invitation is the act of asking someone to do something.
• Joining is the act of becoming a member of something.