New Delhi: The release of Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi's memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, on Tuesday triggered a political war of words, with Congress leaders defending her account of historical events and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing her of attempting to whitewash the Nehru-Gandhi family's record.
The controversy centred on references to Operation Blue Star, the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre and other historical events mentioned in the memoir.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari accused the BJP of raising historical controversies for political gains ahead of the Punjab elections, saying the mistakes associated with Operation Blue Star had already been acknowledged and regret expressed.
"The Sikh community was hurt and everyone apologised to the community. This is in the past. But as there are going to be elections in Punjab, out of habit BJP is scratching old wounds. They are attempting to benefit from it. The mistake behind Operation Blue Star has already been admitted and regret has been expressed," Tiwari told ANI in Lucknow.
Congress MP Jebi Mather, who received a copy of the memoir, described it as a much-awaited account of Sonia Gandhi's life, highlighting her personal sacrifices, resilience and political journey. She said the book would allow readers to understand Sonia Gandhi's personal emotions and experiences in her own words.
Mather also recalled the personal tragedies Sonia Gandhi experienced, including the assassinations of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and her subsequent role as the longest-serving Congress president.
Congress leader Abhishek Dutt also defended Sonia Gandhi, saying she had maintained dignity while handling difficult situations and strengthened the party during a challenging period. Another Congress leader, Udit Raj, described the memoir as a much-needed account and expressed confidence that it would become a global bestseller.
In Hyderabad, Telangana government advisor and senior Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao welcomed the memoir, saying Sonia Gandhi continued to uphold the ideals of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi by working for underprivileged sections. He also urged people to read the book to understand her experiences.
Hitting back at the Congress, BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan criticised the memoir, alleging that it attempted to sugarcoat historical wrongs committed by the Nehru-Gandhi family and the Congress.
"Sonia Gandhi could have titled her memoir 'Whitewashing', instead of 'Belonging' because the motive of this book appears to be sugarcoating the historical wrongs perpetrated by the Nehru-Gandhi family and camouflaging the cardinal sins committed by the Congress party," Kesavan said.
Questioning references in the memoir to the Babri Masjid, the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre, the Batla House encounter and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Kesavan asked whether Sonia Gandhi had expressed similar grief over the deaths of innocent people and security personnel.
Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also dismissed Sonia Gandhi's account of the 1984 events, including Operation Blue Star, as a "lie", accusing the Gandhi family of shedding "crocodile tears".
Addressing a press conference, Sirsa rejected the memoir's account that Indira Gandhi expressed grief after the Army action at the Golden Temple during Operation Blue Star. He alleged that Rajiv Gandhi had played a role in the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre and accused the Congress of rewarding those responsible.
Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu described the events as a dark chapter in history and questioned whether the remorse attributed to Indira Gandhi in the memoir reflected genuine sympathy for the Sikh community or regret over a political decision.
Sandhu also questioned the Congress's accountability for the destruction at Darbar Sahib and the subsequent killings of Sikhs in 1984.
The BJP has accused Sonia Gandhi of whitewashing the Nehru-Gandhi family's record, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has described her remarks on the 1984 events as a political statement. Congress leaders Salman Khurshid and Rajeev Shukla have defended the memoir, urging the BJP to read it rather than give it a political spin.
Meanwhile, former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot recalled being present in Parliament when Sonia Gandhi declined the prime minister's post in 2004, saying the decision reflected her commitment to the Congress and the country.
In a post on X, Gehlot said he had witnessed the day when UPA MPs wanted Sonia Gandhi to become prime minister, but she chose to decline the position.
He described her decision as an example of sacrifice and dedication, adding that the Gandhi family continued to challenge the ideology of the RSS and the BJP.
Published by HarperCollins in India, Belonging: A Journey of Love traces Sonia Gandhi's journey from her childhood in post-war Italy and her romance with Rajiv Gandhi at Cambridge to her life in India and the personal losses that shaped her bond with the country, including the assassinations of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
(With agency inputs from ANI and PTI)
