Sonia Gandhi trying to justify Emergency, memoir should've been named ‘Whitewashing’: BJP

BJP Spokesperson C.R. Kesavan. File | Photo Credit: Moorthy R.V. The BJP on Tuesday (November 10, 2026) hit out at former Congress president Sonia Gandhi for trying to "justify" the Emergency in her memoir, "Belonging: A Journey of Love", and said the book should instead have been named "whitewashing".The motive of the book appears to be "sugar-coating the historical wrongs perpetrated" by the Nehru-Gandhi family, BJP's national spokesperson C.R. Kesavan said in a post on X.Smt. Sonia Gandhi could have titled her memoir as ' 'Whitewashing' instead of 'Belonging', because the motive of this book appears to be sugar coating the historical wrongs perpetrated by the Nehru Gandhi family and camouflaging the cardinal sins committed by the Congress party. Smt. Sonia Gandhi says that she cried for Babri Masjid. Did Sonia Gandhi shed even a drop of tear when Gurudwaras were targeted and thousands of innocent people were violently killed during the 1984 Sikh Massacre which happened during the Congress rule? Sonia Gandhi cried profusely for the Batla House terrorists, but did she weep for the brave CRPF jawans who were martyred in the line of duty protecting our nation and people? Did Sonia Gandhi cry for the innocent lives lost in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks which happened under the Congress Govt. Will her book answer why the cowardly Congress led UPA Govt failed to retaliate? The way in which Smt. Sonia Gandhi has tried to justify and normalise the notorious Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi which murdered our constitution and suspended our fundamental rights, is truly appalling. The Congress regime at the Centre for nearly 55 years inflicted unfathomable damage and scars on Indian polity and our democracy. The nation is thankful to PM Modi ji for effectively course correcting the historical sins and wrongs committed by the Congress party.— C.R.Kesavan (@crkesavan) November 10, 2026The comments from the ruling party came on the day Ms. Gandhi’s memoir was released, in which she weighed in on the Emergency imposed in the country in 1975 and called it a mistake. Ms. Gandhi said she believes that her mother-in-law and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi also came to feel the same.The Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson also wrote that keeping her husband Rajiv Gandhi's brother Sanjay Gandhi "in check" could have prevented much of the damage that followed the imposition of the Emergency."She says she cried for Babri Masjid. Did Sonia Gandhi shed even a drop of tear when Gurudwaras were targeted, and thousands of innocent people were violently killed during the 1984 Sikh Massacre, which happened during the Congress rule? Sonia Gandhi cried profusely for the Batla House terrorists, but did she weep for the brave CRPF jawans who were martyred in the line of duty protecting our nation and people?" the BJP leader said."Did Sonia Gandhi cry for the innocent lives lost in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks which happened under the Congress Govt. Will her book answer why the cowardly Congress-led UPA Govt failed to retaliate?" he asked.Mr. Kesavan said the way Ms. Gandhi has tried to "justify and normalise the notorious Emergency", which murdered the Constitution and suspended fundamental rights, is truly appalling.Watch | "Great damage has been done to the fabric of India by the BJP," says former Congress president #SoniaGandhi in this wide-ranging interview to The Hindu's @nramind on her soon-to-be-launched book, Belonging: A Journey of Love. She reflects on the rise of the BJP and RSS, the impact on Indian democracy and institutions, the challenges facing the Congress, and her experience of working with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the UPA years.— The Hindu (@the_hindu) November 8, 2026"The Congress regime at the Centre for nearly 55 years inflicted unfathomable damage and scars on Indian polity and our democracy. The nation is thankful to PM Modi ji for effectively course correcting the historical sins and wrongs committed by the Congress party," he said. Published - November 10, 2026 11:57 am IST