'Should've called it Whitewashing, not Belonging': BJP mocks Sonia Gandhi's memoir

Sonia detailed her lifestory in the memoirNEW DELHI: The BJP on Tuesday criticised Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi over her memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, with party spokesperson CR Kesavan accusing her of attempting to "whitewash" the "historical wrongs" of the Nehru-Gandhi family and the Congress.In a series of post on X, Kesavan said the book should have been titled 'Whitewashing' instead of 'Belonging', alleging that its purpose was to sugarcoat the historical wrongs committed by the Nehru-Gandhi family and camouflage the Congress party's "cardinal sins".Referring to Sonia Gandhi's account of crying over the demolition of the Babri Masjid, Kesavan questioned whether she had also expressed grief over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the killing of thousands of people during the violence. "Did Sonia Gandhi even shed one tear for when the gurdwaras were attacked and innocent people, thousands of innocent people, were violently killed during the 1984 Sikh massacre which happened under the Congress rule," he said.Kesavan also referred to the Batla House encounter, alleging that Sonia Gandhi had wept for the accused, and questioned whether she had expressed similar grief for CRPF personnel killed in the line of duty. "Did Sonia Gandhi even shed a single tear for the brave CRPF jawans who were martyred in the line of duty when protecting our nation and people?" he asked.He further questioned whether the memoir would address the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and the Congress-led UPA government's response to them."Did Sonia Gandhi cry when innocent lives were lost during the horrendous 26/11 terror attacks which happened under the Congress rule? Will Sonia Gandhi's book answer?" Kesavan said, accusing the UPA government of failing to retaliate against the attacks.The BJP spokesperson also criticised Sonia Gandhi's account of the Emergency imposed by then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. He accused her of attempting to justify and normalise the period, during which fundamental rights were suspended and press freedoms curtailed."The way in which Sonia Gandhi has tried to justify and normalise Indira Gandhi imposing the notorious Emergency which murdered our Constitution and suspended fundamental rights is indeed most shocking and appalling," he said.Also read: What made Sonia Gandhi turn down PM post after UPA’s 2004 victory? Memoir revisits momentKesavan also referred to former external affairs minister K Natwar Singh’s 2014 autobiography, One Life Is Not Enough, questioning Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s visit to his residence ahead of its release. He asked whether her memoir would shed light on the meeting and the events surrounding the formation of the UPA government in May 2004."Will Smt. Sonia Gandhi's memoir also reveal the truth behind her sudden visit to late Shri. K. Natwar Singh’s residence before his book was to be published? Excerpts from Shri. 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," Kesavan posted on X.He further questioned why Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had met Natwar Singh after eight and a half years and what Sonia Gandhi was apprehensive about him writing on the events leading to the UPA government's formation.Other NDA leaders also took aim at Sonia Gandhi over the memoir. JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha questioned her account of declining the Prime Minister's post in 2004, claiming that Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav had refused to support her candidature. “This is a controversial matter as well. While managing numbers, what we know is that Mulayam Singh Yadav had refused to support her. Otherwise, there was a full attempt to become the PM,” Jha said.On her remarks about the Emergency, he said, “She was the PM of the country. Saying that a few people advised her is surprising.”BJP MP Rahul Sinha dismissed the significance of the memoir, saying, “Sonia Gandhi’s writings will not make any difference; nobody is going to read it.” He also criticised her support for Indira Gandhi despite the Emergency and the imprisonment of citizens.Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh minister Dinesh Pratap Singh claimed that then President APJ Abdul Kalam had refused to swear Sonia Gandhi in as Prime Minister because of her foreign origin. “President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam refused to swear in Sonia Gandhi due to her foreign origins. Later, this entire incident was portrayed as a resignation,” he said.What Sonia Gandhi's memoir is aboutTitled Belonging: A Journey of Love, the memoir traces Sonia Gandhi's childhood in post-war Italy, her relationship with Rajiv Gandhi while they were at Cambridge, and her life in India. It also recounts the assassinations of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.The memoir, which hit bookstores across India on Tuesday, also revisits the crucial political decision that shaped the UPA government's first term. Sonia also shared details of the discussions with senior Congress leaders and her final conversation with her son, Rahul Gandhi, before announcing her decision.In the memoir, Sonia also looks back at her first year as a bride in the Gandhi family, recalling her experiences of living with her mother-in-law, former prime minister Indira Gandhi.She describes Indira Gandhi's occasional outbursts of anger as among the "most alarming" aspects of that period. Recalling one incident, Sonia writes that a staff member who had repeatedly forgotten to remind her mother-in-law about an important appointment was made to stand in a corner of the room, while others hurried past, feeling embarrassed."What I found most alarming was my mother-in-law's occasional explosions of temper. They could freeze the staff into numbness," she wrote. In another instance, Sonia recalled noticing a "kurta-dhoti-clad individual standing immobile in the corner, staring at the wall".She also gave details on why she turned down PM post after UPA victory in 2004.Read more: Sonia recalls Indira's temper, early days as bride in memoir