The senior Congress leader describes her mother-in-law's occasional outbursts and personal life in her book Belonging: A Journey of Love.
Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has shared personal recollections of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's temperament in her new memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love. Published by HarperCollins India, the 544-page book traces Gandhi's life from her childhood in Italy to her entry into politics.
According to reports by The Times of India and Deccan Herald, Gandhi describes how Indira Gandhi's occasional explosions of temper could leave staff members feeling numb. She recalls instances where a staff member was made to stand in a corner for forgetting an appointment, and a senior Congress Party member was ordered to stand facing a wall.
The memoir also notes that the former Prime Minister would sometimes ignore offending individuals for days. Gandhi writes that these outbursts unsettled her during her early days as a bride, noting that she would "quake in my seat" until she got to know her mother-in-law better.
The book also covers the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. Gandhi recalls that her son, Rahul Gandhi, had warned her two months prior that he might have to return for his father's funeral if security was not improved.
Regarding the security lapse, Gandhi writes that the Special Protection Group (SPG) cover was withdrawn by the VP Singh government a month after a committee decided it should continue. She describes the moment she learned of the assassination through her daughter, Priyanka Gandhi, who informed her of a bomb explosion and people dying.
