Sonia Gandhi’s ‘Belonging’ | What is the controversy over its publication in India?

Explained

Sonia Gandhi's memoir, titled Belonging, has drawn attention in India for two separate reasons: a dispute over who would publish it in the country, and the content of the book itself. The coverage below draws on reports from The Hindu, The Times of India, NDTV and Outlook India, published on 9 and 10 November.

What happened

According to The Hindu, the memoir was first expected to be brought out in India by Penguin Random House India (PRHI). On August 28, however, PRHI announced that it was not the publisher of the book in India. The reports we reviewed do not say who will publish it in the country, so that question remains open in this coverage.

The memoir's contents have also been widely reported. NDTV, in a series of pieces, said Gandhi writes about her 2004 decision to turn down the prime minister's post. NDTV also quoted her saying that when she and Narendra Modi meet, they greet each other with a namaste, but that he "tends to look away." Outlook India reported that the book revisits her concern over the BJP's campaign about her foreign origin and explains her choice of Manmohan Singh. NDTV added that she writes Rajiv Gandhi took Rahul Gandhi to Amethi several times when he was a schoolboy, to show him rural life. Pranab Mukherjee, NDTV noted, was nominated by Congress as the UPA candidate for President in 2012 and was elected.

NDTV also revisited a 2004 interview Gandhi gave to its programme Walk The Talk, about three months before that year's election results.

Why it matters

The Times of India reported that BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan criticised the memoir as an attempt to whitewash the Congress party's historical mistakes. He said it was titled "Belonging" when it should have been called "Whitewashing," and he pointed to her emotional responses to key incidents while questioning her silence on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and other tragedies. Times of India said the memoir covers these episodes, though the summary it published is brief.

The political reaction therefore centres on how the book treats the party's past, a point the Congress side has not been quoted on in these reports.

What we don't know yet

The reports do not say who will publish the book in India, nor do they confirm the reasons behind PRHI's announcement beyond its statement that it was not the publisher. Because each outlet reported different passages, readers should check the full book or the original articles for complete context on any single claim.

Written by the 91News.in desk with AI assistance, based on reports from The Hindu, Times of India, NDTV, Outlook India. Updated 10 Nov 2026, 10:05 pm. Spotted an error? Tell us.