‘Memoir or fiction?’: BJP targets Sonia Gandhi’s book as Congress alleges govt pressure

The BJP has launched an investigation into the decision not to publish Sonia Gandhi's memoir in India, accusing the government of exerting pressure and threatening freedom of expression. Congress, on the other hand, claims the BJP is being hypocritical and politicizing the book. BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi questioned whether the book should be considered a memoir or fiction, suggesting the publisher would assess the contents before releasing it.

The BJP's National Spokesperson, CR Kesavan, argued that the Congress is manufacturing a false narrative of fear over the release of the memoir. He pointed to an excerpt from K Natwar Singh's 2014 autobiography, noting that Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met him before its release to discuss content. BJP compared this controversy to the current debate, asking which parts of the memoir required fact-checking.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi accused the BJP government of backing away from publishing the book due to fears of public scrutiny. Dr Akhilesh Prasad Singh emphasized that no publisher can pressure an author to remove or include specific content, suggesting the issue is rooted in government pressure. Rajasthan Congress leader Ashok Gehlot highlighted the international presence of Sonia Gandhi's life and questioned the reason behind the Indian publisher's reluctance to publish the book, alleging suppression of truth and a violation of democracy.