NEW DELHI — A fierce political war of words has broken out between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over former Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s yet-to-be-published memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love. The controversy erupted following reports surrounding the Indian edition’s publication rights, with the Congress alleging government censorship and the BJP taking sharp jabs at the contents of the book.
Scheduled for an international release in November 2026 by US publisher Alfred A. Knopf, the memoir promises a candid account of Gandhi’s personal journey from Italy to the helm of Indian politics, touching upon personal tragedies, family legacies, and her decades in public life. However, tension spiked after reports emerged that Penguin Random House India (PRHI) would not be publishing the Indian edition, allegedly following disagreements over editorial edits and deletions.
Senior Congress leaders mounted a scathing attack on the ruling BJP, claiming the government pressured the publisher to edit sensitive political references. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot accused the administration of attempting to silence uncomfortable truths.
The BJP swiftly rejected the allegations of government interference, turning the spotlight onto the credibility of the manuscript and questioning why a memoir would require extensive verification.
BJP IT Cell Chief Amit Malviya mocked the controversy, asserting, “If a publisher has to fact-check a memoir written by its own author, perhaps the obvious question is: what exactly needed fact-checking—the author’s memories, or the blurred line between fact and fiction?”
Amid escalating political claims, Penguin Random House India released a statement clarifying its stance. While confirming it is not the publisher of Belonging in India, the publishing house rejected claims that it backed out due to rejected edits.
Reports indicate another major international publishing house may secure the Indian distribution rights. Nevertheless, with months still remaining before its global release, Sonia Gandhi’s memoir has already turned into one of the most politically charged literary debates of the year.
