New Delhi, Nov 2026 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi following the release of her memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, accusing her of attempting to downplay the Emergency, defend the Nehru-Gandhi family and avoid addressing controversial episodes in India's political history.
BJP national spokesperson C.R. Kesavan described the memoir as an attempt to present a favourable account of the Congress party's past, arguing that it glossed over historical controversies and the actions of previous Congress governments. He said the book would have been more appropriately titled Whitewashing.
In a post on X, Kesavan alleged that the purpose of the memoir was to "sugar-coat" what he described as historical wrongs committed by the Nehru-Gandhi family and conceal the mistakes of the Congress party.
The BJP's criticism centred particularly on Sonia Gandhi's account of the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. In her memoir, Sonia Gandhi reportedly described the Emergency as a mistake and suggested that her mother-in-law had eventually reached a similar conclusion.
She also indicated that some of the damage caused during the period could have been avoided if Indira Gandhi had exercised greater control over her younger son, Sanjay Gandhi, and kept him "in check".
Kesavan rejected this explanation, accusing Sonia Gandhi of attempting to justify or normalise the Emergency rather than adequately acknowledging the suspension of fundamental rights, restrictions on press freedom and other excesses associated with the period.
BJP Questions Sonia Gandhi's References to Communal Violence
The BJP spokesperson also questioned Sonia Gandhi's references to the demolition of the Babri Masjid, accusing her of selective concern over incidents of communal violence and terrorism.
Referring to the 1984 anti-Sikh violence, Kesavan asked whether she had expressed similar anguish over the targeting of gurdwaras and the killing of thousands of people during the violence that took place under Congress rule.
He also brought up the controversy surrounding the 2008 Batla House encounter and questioned the Congress leadership's response to the incident.
Kesavan further referred to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, which took place during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's tenure. He asked whether Sonia Gandhi's memoir addressed the loss of innocent lives and the government's response to the attacks.
The BJP leader also raised questions about a reported meeting between Sonia Gandhi and former External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh shortly before the publication of his autobiography, One Life Is Not Enough, in 2014.
Natwar Singh's book discussed developments surrounding Sonia Gandhi's decision to decline the post of Prime Minister after the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. According to his account, Sonia Gandhi and her daughter Priyanka Gandhi had met him before publication and discussed portions dealing with that period.
Kesavan questioned why the meeting reportedly took place after a gap of eight-and-a-half years and sought to know whether Sonia Gandhi had been concerned about what the former minister might write about the formation of the UPA government.
Concluding his criticism, the BJP spokesperson accused the Congress of damaging India's democratic institutions during its decades in power. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with addressing what he described as historical wrongs committed under Congress rule.
Giriraj Singh Also Targets Congress Leader
Union Minister Giriraj Singh separately criticised Sonia Gandhi over the release of her memoir, accusing her of making misleading claims and attempting to portray herself as a victim.
Speaking to IANS, Singh questioned the circumstances surrounding her decision not to become Prime Minister in 2004. He alleged that preparations had been made for her appointment but that advice from someone close to her had changed the course of events.
Singh said the memoir had, in his view, exposed Sonia Gandhi's political outlook. He also questioned her alleged response to the Batla House encounter, accusing her of expressing concern over the death of a terrorist while remaining silent over other incidents involving civilians and security personnel.
The Union Minister referred to the Godhra violence, the Pahalgam terror attack, killings of soldiers in terrorist attacks and violence by Naxalites. He alleged that the Congress leadership had shown selective concern over such incidents.
Singh also raised the issue of Sonia Gandhi's Indian citizenship, claiming that she acquired it in 1983 and questioning the timing in relation to the political prospects of her family. These remarks were allegations made by the minister.
The BJP leaders' comments have added to the political controversy surrounding Belonging: A Journey of Love, which recounts Sonia Gandhi's personal and political journey. The memoir's observations on the Emergency, Indira Gandhi, the Congress leadership and major events in India's political history have triggered a fresh exchange between the BJP and Congress.
