Archive · 29 Aug 2026
BJP Questions Sonia Gandhi Memoir Claims After Publisher Review
Sonia Gandhi wrote a memoir called Belonging: A Journey of Love.
Penguin Random House India decided not to publish it.
The publisher wanted some events in the book to be checked for accuracy.
BJP leaders said this made them question the book’s claims.
N Ramchander Rao accused Congress of relying on false stories.
CR Kesavan said Congress leaders were wrongly describing the situation as fear about the book.
He also asked why boxes of Jawaharlal Nehru’s letters had not been released.
The article reports the BJP’s criticism but does not give a detailed response from Congress.
Penguin Random House India backed out of publishing Sonia Gandhi’s memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love.
The publisher reportedly requested fact-checking of certain incidents in the book.
Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao said the request raised questions about the memoir’s claims.
BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan accused Congress leaders of creating a false narrative of fear around the memoir’s release.
Kesavan also questioned why 51 cartons of Jawaharlal Nehru’s correspondence, including letters to Edwin Montagu, had not been made public.
- Who
- Sonia Gandhi, Penguin Random House India, Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao, and BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan.
- What
- The publisher backed out of publishing Gandhi’s memoir after seeking fact-checking of certain incidents, prompting BJP criticism.
- When
- Saturday, according to the article.
- Where
- Rao spoke in Hyderabad and Kesavan spoke in Chennai.
- Why
- The publisher’s fact-checking request raised questions from BJP leaders about the accuracy of claims in the memoir.
BJP criticism
Congress leaders’ reported position
Meaning of the publisher’s fact-check request
BJP criticism
N Ramchander Rao said the request suggested that claims in the memoir, and claims by Congress leaders more broadly, should be questioned and independently verified.
Congress leaders’ reported position
Congress leaders reportedly described the situation around the memoir’s release as involving fear; the article does not provide their detailed response to the BJP’s allegations.
Nehru correspondence
BJP criticism
CR Kesavan said Congress leaders should explain why the Congress leadership was allegedly nervous about releasing 51 cartons of Nehru’s correspondence, including letters to Edwin Montagu.
Congress leaders’ reported position
The article does not state Congress’s position on whether or why the correspondence should be made public.
- Memoir
- Belonging: A Journey of Love
- Author
- Sonia Gandhi, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson
- Publisher
- Penguin Random House India
- Publication decision
- The publisher backed out of publishing the memoir.
- Fact-checking
- The publisher requested fact-checking of certain incidents.
- Additional issue raised
- CR Kesavan questioned why 51 carton boxes of Jawaharlal Nehru’s correspondence had not been made public.