Culture
Sonia Gandhi Releases Memoir Detailing Political Battles and Family Life
The autobiography of the former Congress president explores her personal history, political milestones and the mounting pressures faced by her family.
By Headlinne · Compiled from reporting by Scroll.in, Times of India, Hindu and 1 other
Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi published her memoir on Tuesday, offering personal reflections on decades of Indian political history and her reluctant entry into public life.
The 544-page book, titled Belonging: A Journey of Love, covers major national events including the 1975 Emergency, the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, and the Babri Masjid demolition.
The release of the autobiography provides a rare window into the inner workings of the influential Nehru-Gandhi family while generating intense political debate.
Recalling her arrival in India from Italy in 1968, Gandhi describes receiving Hindi lessons and advice from the poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, according to Scroll.in.
“You must know, Sonia beti, child, that in this country it is not what you are that counts, it is what people think you to be,” he told her.
The memoir addresses several controversies, including the Shah Bano case in 1985, where Gandhi disagreed with her husband, then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, over the government handling of Muslim Personal Law.
“The papers are accusing you of sacrificing Muslim women's interests. What's going on? Why are you letting this happen?” she recalls asking him.
Rajiv Gandhi defended his position by asking if she knew him, explaining that he aimed to protect women's rights without jeopardizing the framework of Muslim Personal Law.
The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 led to her prolonged withdrawal from public life before she ultimately assumed the Congress presidency in 1998 amid internal party strife.
The book also details the political pressures faced by her son, Rahul Gandhi, who has had no less than 30 cases brought against him across 8 states, according to NDTV.
Gandhi asserts that neither she nor Rahul ever received any financial benefit from the revival process of the National Herald newspaper.
Political rivals and analysts are expected to contest several interpretations of historical events presented in the volume, particularly regarding the Congress party.
It remains to be seen how the memoir will influence public perception and political alignments as parties prepare for upcoming electoral challenges.
Reporting from
- Scroll.inBalanced
What Sonia Gandhi says (and leaves out) in her memoirs
- Times of IndiaBalanced
From Shah Bano to 1999 Congress revolt: 5 political moments in Sonia Gandhi’s memoir
- The HinduBalanced
Review | Sonia Gandhi’s Belonging: A memoir of revelation and reticence
- NDTVLeft framing
'Neither Rahul Nor I Received A Penny': Sonia Gandhi On National Herald Case
How this article was made: Headlinne wrote it with AI from the 4 reports listed above. Direct quotes are checked word for word against those reports, every number appears in at least one of them, and no other sentence is copied from one. Photos are from those reports and credited to them. Each report’s page on Headlinne links to the outlet’s original.