Sonia Gandhi Memoir Row Sparks BJP-Congress Clash
Congress alleges pressure on publisher; BJP accuses opposition of creating a “false narrative of fear”
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 29th Aug: A political row has erupted between the Congress and BJP over the publication of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s memoir, with Congress leaders alleging that Penguin Random House India was pressured to drop the book and the BJP accusing the opposition of manufacturing a narrative of censorship.
The controversy began after Penguin Random House India said on Friday that it was not the publisher of Belonging: A Journey of Love. The statement came days after its US imprint, Alfred A Knopf, announced that the memoir would be released internationally on November 10.
Penguin Random House India said it had been keen to publish the memoir during the relevant discussions, while maintaining that fact-checking is part of a publisher’s responsibility.
Congress alleges pressure
Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi criticised the publisher’s statement, alleging that people associated with the BJP government may be concerned about the book being read in India.
“Such a weak statement,” Gogoi said in a post on X, while pointing to Penguin’s publication of books associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS.
Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot also questioned why the memoir could not be published in India in its original form if it was being published internationally by Penguin’s imprint.
Gehlot alleged that the Indian publisher’s demand for changes raised questions about possible pressure and argued that suppressing the memoir would amount to an attack on freedom of expression.
China, Modi and RSS passages at centre of dispute
According to Congress sources cited in the report, three sets of passages were central to discussions between Sonia Gandhi and Penguin Random House India.
The first concerns the China-India border dispute, including Chinese incursions and the current situation along the border.
The second deals with Sonia Gandhi’s views on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, working style and major policies of the central government.
The third concerns the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its influence on national affairs and India’s social fabric.
Congress sources said Penguin India proposed editing or removing certain passages, but Sonia Gandhi declined, maintaining that the material reflected her own experiences and perspectives.
BJP rejects censorship allegation
The BJP hit back at the Congress allegations, accusing its leaders of trying to “spin stories and manufacture a false narrative of fear”.
BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan questioned which portions of the memoir required fact-checking and why.
BJP leader Ajay Alok said the issue was about verification rather than pressure, arguing that publishers have a responsibility to ensure the credibility of published material.
The dispute has now turned the memoir into a fresh political flashpoint, with the Congress raising questions over freedom of expression and the BJP defending the publisher’s right to fact-check content before publication.
