{
  "id": 5732732,
  "title": "Sonia Gandhi’s ‘Belonging’ | What is the controversy over its publication in India?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/sonia-gandhis-belonging-what-is-the-controversy-over-its-publication",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-05T06:57:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/books/sonia-gandhis-belonging-what-is-the-controversy-over-its-publication-in-india/article71431117.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sonia Gandhi's memoir \"Belonging: A Journey of Love\" is set to be published in India by HarperCollins India on November 10. Initially, the book was to be published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI), but they announced on August 28 that they would not be the publisher of the memoir in India. This change occurred after an impasse between PRHI and representatives of Ms. Gandhi over the manuscript. The memoir, internationally published by Alfred A. Knopf, offers a personal account of Ms. Gandhi's life and an insider's view of India's political journey. It covers her childhood in post-war Italy, her meeting with Rajiv Gandhi, their marriage, her arrival in India, and her efforts to adjust to Indian life. The memoir also includes accounts of the deaths of Sanjay Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi, as well as Ms. Gandhi's political journey and her decline from leading the Congress-led alliance in the 2004 Lok Sabha election to not taking the Prime Minister's post. The uncertainty over the Indian edition arose from disagreements between PRHI and Ms. Gandhi's representatives regarding sections of the manuscript. These sections reportedly included topics such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handling of India-China relations, Ms. Gandhi's impressions of Mr. Modi, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Ms. Gandhi declined to make the suggested changes, arguing that altering these sections would be self-censorship and interfere with the narrative. PRHI, however, maintains that the decision was not solely due to Ms. Gandhi's refusal to make changes but also involved editorial discussions and recommendations. The publisher has emphasized that it is both its prerogative and responsibility to fact-check a manuscript and make recommendations for the benefit of the book. The precise nature of the disagreement remains undisclosed by the publisher.",
  "summary": "The book was initially expected to be published in India by Penguin Random House India (PRHI); however, PRHI announced on August 28 that it was not the publisher of the memoir in India",
  "key_points": [
    "Sonia Gandhi's memoir 'Belonging' to be published in India on November 10.",
    "PRHI initially declined to publish, then HarperCollins India takes over.",
    "Disagreement over manuscript sections, including Modi's handling of China relations."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The change in publishers for Sonia Gandhi's memoir in India signals a rare instance of a high-profile author resisting suggested changes, potentially setting a precedent for future literary works in the country.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}