BJP criticises Sonia Gandhi's memoir for justifying Emergency
National spokesperson C R Kesavan claimed the book should have been titled 'Whitewashing' instead of 'Belonging'.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday, alleging her memoir, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', attempts to justify the Emergency. According to reports from Deccan Herald, ANI, and The Hindu, BJP national spokesperson C R Kesavan stated the book should have been titled 'Whitewashing'.
Kesavan alleged on X that the motive of the book is to sugar-coat historical wrongs by the Nehru-Gandhi family and camouflage sins committed by the Congress party. He described the treatment of the Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as appalling, claiming it murdered the Constitution and suspended fundamental rights.
The spokesperson questioned Gandhi's reactions to various events, asking if she shed tears during the 1984 Sikh massacre or the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He also asked if the memoir would explain why the Congress-led UPA government failed to retaliate following certain terror attacks.
In the memoir, published by HarperCollins India, Gandhi referred to the Emergency as a mistake and suggested her mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi, may have felt the same. She also noted that keeping Sanjay Gandhi in check could have prevented damage following the imposition of the Emergency.
Regarding the book's content, Gandhi told The Hindu that she wanted to tell her own story. She stated that the values she learnt growing up, such as loyalty and sincerity, survive.