Row over Sonia Gandhi’s memoir: Deeply concerning, says Keralam Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan criticized Penguin Random House India for allegedly dropping Sonia Gandhi's memoir. He labeled the decision as 'institutional cowardice' and a sign of government-led intimidation.
Why it matters
The controversy touches on sensitive issues regarding freedom of speech, political censorship, and the independence of publishing houses in India.
Keralam Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Saturday said a publishing house that “compromises its spine compromises democracy itself,” reacting to reports that Penguin Random House India had decided not to publish Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s memoir.
In a post on X, the Chief Minister described the development as “institutional cowardice” and “deeply concerning.” The Chief Minister’s reaction came on the heels of reports that the publishing house was dropping Belonging: A Journey of Love, Ms. Gandhi’s autobiography.
The Chief Minister said that this “institutional cowardice” is the direct fallout of a Central government that “governs through intimidation” and is terrified of the unvarnished truth. When a global publisher can release a book worldwide in its original form, why the sudden urge to censor and edit facts in India, he said.
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