Political storm erupts over Penguin Random House India's decision not to publish Sonia Gandhi's memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love'. A war of words erupted between Congress and BJP leaders as the former alleged there is "pressure" from the government and a "threat to freedom of expression".
Meanwhile, the BJP has challenged the claims and questioned the 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," said BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
He also added that if one attempts to politicise a work presented as a memoir, questions will inevitably be raised.
Gandhi's book release was halted after she refused to make changes or deletions of references to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the RSS, the ruling BJP's ideological fount, and Chinese intrusions, the HT reported.
"The attempts by Congress leaders to spin stories and manufacture a false narrative of fear over the release of Gandhi's memoir are not merely ironic...they are glaringly hypocritical," said BJP national spokesperson C.R. Kesavan.
Congress alleges pressure
Lashing out at Penguin India, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said that they are more than happy to publish "Exam Warriors" and several books on RSS. "No doubt there are those in the BJP government who have now become afraid of a book being read by the people of India," Gogoi said.
Pointing out a similar issue regarding Naravane's book release, Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh said that when this was raised by Rahul Gandhi, it was effectively suppressed and prevented from being read.
"It is likely the same kind of pressure is at play here. That is why this is happening," said Singh.
Rajasthan Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said, “Penguin Worldwide is ready to publish Sonia Gandhi ji's upcoming book worldwide in its original form, but Penguin Random House India wants changes made to launch it in India. After all, what is the reason or what pressure is there that what is being published across the world cannot be published in India?”
BJP alleges Congress "spinning stories"
Citing the late K. Natwar Singh’s 2014 autobiography 'One Life Is Not Enough', Kesavan said excerpts from the book “clearly state 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.”
He said, “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?”
He added, “For Congress leaders who are farcically saying that some are afraid of the memoir's 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.”
Penguin Random House India said on Friday it had remained “willing and keen to publish” Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love, but maintained it is a publisher's “prerogative and responsibility to fact-check.
“Penguin Random House India is not the publisher of Belonging in India. Any suggestion that Penguin Random House India decided not to publish Belonging because the author declined editorial changes does not accurately reflect the circumstances,” the company said.
“As a publisher, it is both our prerogative and our responsibility to fact-check and provide authors with recommendations that are in the best interests of their books," it said.
