- Sonia Gandhi explains declining the 2004 premiership due to family safety concerns while denying claims of interfering in Manmohan Singh’s administration.
- The memoir criticizes the Modi government’s handling of the Pulwama attack, border disputes with China, and the alleged renaming of several UPA welfare schemes.
- Gandhi addresses the 1992 Babri Mosque demolition, sparking backlash from BJP leaders who highlighted Congress's historical record during the Emergency and 1984 riots.
- The autobiography faced publishing delays after Penguin Random House requested edits to political critiques, eventually being released in India by HarperCollins.
NEW DELHI: Sonia Gandhi’s new autobiography, Belonging: A Journey of Love, offers her account of key turning points in her political career, from her decision to decline the prime ministership in 2004 to her deep policy and political differences with the Narendra Modi government.
Published in India on November 10, the book covers her working relationship with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, internal discussions within the Congress party, and the broader political shifts following the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
2004 Prime Ministership & UPA Years
A central focus of the memoir is her decision to step aside after the Congress-led alliance won the 2004 general election. Gandhi writes that concerns over the personal safety of her children, Rahul and Priyanka, were paramount, given the assassinations of her mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi, and her husband, Rajiv Gandhi.
Following her withdrawal, Manmohan Singh assumed the office of Prime Minister. Gandhi states that Singh was responsible for running the government, while her role was focused on leading the Congress party and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition.
Addressing long-standing allegations from the BJP and political opponents that she exercised power behind the scenes, Gandhi denies interfering in daily governance or requesting official government files during Dr. Singh’s tenure.
Gandhi also details a 2010 conversation with former senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee, which she interpreted as an indication of his ambition for the top office—though the account presents her personal perception of the exchange rather than an established consensus.
Security and Governance Critiques
The memoir directly addresses the February 2019 Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. Gandhi questions the security protocol and logistics preceding the incident, alleging that advance intelligence warnings existed and asking why the personnel were not moved by air.
Beyond security matters, Gandhi criticizes the Modi administration's handling of the India-China border dispute, its policies toward minority communities, and what she characterizes as the erosion of parliamentary accountability and democratic institutions. She also highlights the expanding influence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in public life.
Additionally, the book claims that the Modi government continued at least 30 UPA-era welfare programs and schemes after renaming them—a contention that remains a point of active political debate regarding policy continuity versus administrative reform.
Publishing Controversy
The launch of the book was accompanied by disputes over its publication. Penguin Random House India was initially set to publish the Indian edition, but the contract was canceled following disagreements over requested manuscript edits.
Reported points of friction included passages addressing Prime Minister Modi, China, the RSS, and the Pulwama attack. While Gandhi alleged that the publisher was reluctant to print strong critiques of the ruling government, Penguin denied any political or government pressure, stating that the author's team ultimately chose to withdraw from the contract.
The Indian edition was subsequently picked up and published by HarperCollins India, with Alfred A. Knopf publishing the US edition.
Ayodhya and Opposition Backlash
Revisiting the December 6, 1992, demolition of the Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, Gandhi recalls watching the event unfold on television and breaking down in tears. The event remains a pivotal and contentious landmark in modern Indian political history.
Responding to excerpts from the book, BJP leaders have rejected her accounts, arguing that the Congress party must also answer for its own historical record. BJP spokespersons pointed to the 1984 anti-Sikh violence and the 1975–1977 Emergency imposed under Indira Gandhi's administration.
As with any political memoir, Belonging represents the author's individual perspectives and interpretations. Its allegations regarding security protocols, administrative dynamics, and publication disputes continue to generate national political discourse.
