New Delhi: A political slugfest has erupted over Penguin Random House India’s decision not to publish Sonia Gandhi’s memoir in India.
Countering Congress’ allegation that there was “pressure” from the government and a “threat to freedom of expression,” BJP has questioned contents of the book.
“Whether the book written by Sonia Gandhi is a memoir or fiction is a matter to be decided between the author and the publisher. If a work labelled as a memoir turns out to be fiction, the publisher will certainly assess that before making a decision. I feel that if you attempt to politicise a work presented as a memoir, questions will inevitably be raised,” said BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
Sonia’s book deal fell through after she refused to make changes or deletions of references to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s ideological fount, and Chinese intrusions, Hindustan Times had reported.
According to BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan, attempts by Congress leaders to “spin stories and manufacture a false narrative of fear over the release of Smt. Sonia Gandhi’s memoir are not merely ironic, they are glaringly hypocritical.”
Kesavan cited excerpts from late K Natwar Singh’s 2014 autobiography ‘One Life Is Not Enough’ “clearly states how uneasy and uncomfortable the Nehru-Gandhi family was about his account of certain events in May 2004, before the UPA Government was sworn in.”
“Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra decided to meet him before his book release to discuss it, this sudden visit coming after eight and a half years! Why was Sonia Gandhi so apprehensive about what Shri Natwar Singh would write in his book?” the BJP spokesperson remarked.
Kesavan drew a parallel with the current controversy. “The moot point in the context of Smt. Sonia Gandhi’s memoirs is: which portions of her memoir warranted fact-checking and why so?”
“For Congress leaders who are farcically saying that some are afraid of the memoirs contents, they should explain to the nation the real reason why the Congress first family is nervous and jittery to make public the 51 carton boxes of Nehru’s correspondence, which include his letters to Edwina Mountbatten,” Kesavan demanded.
