New Delhi, Nov 2026 : Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has accused the BJP-led government of causing significant damage to India's democratic institutions and constitutional framework over the past 12 years, asserting that restoring the country's institutions would require sustained efforts even after the present government leaves office.
In an interview with The Hindu ahead of the release of her memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, Sonia expressed confidence that India would eventually return to what she described as proper governance. However, she cautioned that repairing the institutional framework would not be an easy or immediate task.
"Over the last twelve years great damage has been done to the fabric of our country, our democracy and our institutions. Even after this government goes, it will take time to restore our systems back to health and great effort from political parties," she said.
Asked whether the Congress had lessons to draw from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's political journey and the organisational strength of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Sonia acknowledged that Modi came from a different ideological background but rejected the suggestion that the Congress needed to learn from the RSS.
"I don't think we have much to learn from the RSS," she said.
She also pointed to political leaders within the Congress as examples of successful political journeys, naming former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and current party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Reflecting on the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government formed in 2004, Sonia dismissed suggestions that its functioning could have been different had she accepted the post of Prime Minister. She said the possibility of becoming Prime Minister had never crossed her mind.
Describing the UPA arrangement as largely successful, she said the government functioned through a division of responsibilities, with Manmohan Singh leading the administration and her taking charge of the party.
On the Congress's present political position and its electoral prospects, Sonia alleged that the party and other Opposition groups had not enjoyed a level playing field since the Modi government came to power.
She accused the ruling establishment of exercising influence over key institutions, particularly the Election Commission of India, and alleged that mainstream media was under government control. She also cited the ruling party's financial resources and what she described as the use of religion for political purposes as factors that had made the Opposition's task more difficult.
Despite these challenges, Sonia maintained that the Congress continued to resist political pressure and was making progress in its efforts to challenge the ruling party. She described the party as resilient in the face of what she termed an ongoing onslaught.
Sonia also repeated allegations that several recent elections had been stolen, claiming that public awareness about electoral irregularities was growing. She said the Congress was working with like-minded political parties to raise these concerns and expressed confidence about the Opposition's future prospects.
The interview comes ahead of the publication of her memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, which is being brought out by HarperCollins India and is scheduled for release on November 10.
The book offers a personal account of Sonia's life, with political developments forming the broader backdrop. It begins with her childhood in post-war Veneto, Italy, and follows her journey to Cambridge, where she met Rajiv Gandhi in 1965.
Through the memoir, Sonia traces her personal experiences and the circumstances that eventually brought her into India's political life. The book's release is expected to provide further insights into her life, family and decades-long association with the Congress party.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
