Congress, BJP Trade Barbs After Penguin India Opts Out of Sonia Gandhi Memoir

A political storm has broken out after Penguin Random House India announced it would not publish Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's memoir, "Belonging: A Journey of Love," despite its American imprint, Alfred A Knopf, planning a worldwide release on November 10.

The publisher said it had been keen to bring out the book during discussions but maintained that fact-checking authors is its "prerogative and responsibility." Reports suggest the decision came after Gandhi refused proposed editorial changes.

Congress leaders were quick to allege that the publisher was pressured into backing out. Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, called the statement "weak," pointing out that Penguin India has published books on the RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Exam Warriors." He suggested that the BJP government fears the book's content.

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot questioned why a book acceptable for global publication required changes for the Indian market. He described any suppression of Gandhi's work as "tantamount to the murder of freedom of expression."

The BJP dismissed these claims as an attempt to "spin stories and manufacture a false narrative of fear." Party spokesperson C.R. Kesavan called the Congress stance "glaringly hypocritical," questioning which portions of the memoir required fact-checking. Another BJP leader, Ajay Alok, accused Congress of not placing facts in the book, stating that publishers must maintain credibility.

According to Congress sources, three key topics were flashpoints in the discussions: the China border dispute, Gandhi's critique of Prime Minister Modi's leadership and policies, and her views on the RSS's influence on national affairs. Gandhi reportedly declined to edit these passages, asserting that her experiences and perspectives were not open to alteration.