Sonia Gandhi accused of whitewashing India's history in memoir

India's governing Bharatiya Janata Party has criticized opposition leader Sonia Gandhi for allegedly glossing over historical grievances in her memoir, "Belonging", ahead of crucial state elections. Congress Party leaders claim BJP is attempting to manipulate the book into a political spectacle. "Belonging", published on Tuesday, recounts Italian-born Gandhi's upbringing in England and her assimilation into India's dominant political family, which has governed the nation for over 55 years post-independence.

The 79-year-old declined the prime minister's post in 2004, yet her family remains a cornerstone of the ruling party.

BJP spokesperson C.R. Kesavan stated that the book's motivation seems to be "sugar-coating" the historical misdeeds of the Nehru-Gandhi family and concealing the egregious acts committed by the Congress Party. Kesavan cited the 1984 Sikh riots, which left around 3,000 people dead, and accused Congress of ignoring the riots and possibly instigating them.

In the memoir, Sonia refers to the riots as a "tragic and shameful chapter," blaming certain officials for either ignoring the situation or possibly instigating it. She defends her husband Rajiv, who took over as prime minister after their mother Indira, of any involvement in the riots.

Kesavan also alleged that Sonia is attempting to "normalise and justify" the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975, a period of 21 months marked by the suspension of civil liberties, press censorship, and incarceration of opposition members. According to Sonia, Indira felt increasingly isolated and politically cornered before imposing the Emergency, and felt compelled to continue it amidst the political turmoil.

Sonia has not responded to the accusations, but in the book's introduction, she clarifies that "Belonging" is a "personal memoir, one for which politics is the background, a kind of framework."

The book has been a subject of intense debate on social media, reflecting India's political divide. It has also garnered extensive media coverage, with numerous newspapers publishing excerpts about significant events from the past half-century. HarperCollins India, the publisher of "Belonging," did not respond to a request for comment on the book's reception.