Sonia Gandhi Memoir Details Family Tensions and Maneka's Exit

Sonia Gandhi's 526-page memoir titled 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', published by HarperCollins India, reveals intimate details about the family dynamics and political tensions that led to Maneka Gandhi's controversial exit from the Nehru-Gandhi household.

Family Tensions

Towards the end of 1973, Sanjay Gandhi was introduced to Maneka, who was ten years younger than him and still a minor. Within a year, they married when Maneka was 18. Sonia writes that while Maneka was initially full of zest, irritations slowly cropped up in the home. Sonia viewed them both as equal daughters of the house, but Maneka reportedly saw it as a putdown and sometimes spoke rudely. When annoyed, Maneka would use taboo expletives even in the presence of her mother-in-law, which embarrassed Sanjay and shocked the family. Differences between Sanjay and Maneka also grew noisier and more heated.

Political Rifts

Maneka's influence on Sanjay reportedly began to interfere with his relationship with Rajiv Gandhi, turning the once-inseparable brothers bitter towards each other. As Sanjay's name became synonymous with the Emergency, he voiced opinions critical of the bureaucracy and the prime minister. Indira Gandhi felt that Maneka was egging him on rather than acting as a sobering influence, telling Cabinet Secretary P N Dhar that Maneka had started growing wings already. Animosity increased after Rajiv blamed Sanjay for the calamitous outcome of the 1978 elections during a family discussion. Maneka's sarcastic comments and stories spread through journalists, including a rumor that Rajiv and Indira intended to flee the country after losing elections, became constant irritants.

Departure

Following Sanjay's death in an aircraft crash on June 23, 1980, Maneka's mother allegedly encouraged Sanjay loyalists to demand a political position for the 23-year-old widow, who had a three-month-old baby. Indira felt Maneka was too young and immature for a leadership role. Tensions peaked when a birthday party for Maneka and Sanjay's son Feroze Varun Gandhi was held at the home of Vasundhara Raje, a political opponent of Indira. Raje later facilitated the sale of Maneka's Surya magazine to an RSS member, which Indira viewed as a direct challenge and an insult. While Indira was in London, she learned Maneka was moving her belongings out and reprimanded her upon return, giving her an ultimatum to either stop her disloyal political activities or live elsewhere.

Context

Memoirs written by prominent political figures often shed light on private historical events and internal domestic conflicts that shaped national politics. The Nehru-Gandhi family has long been central to India's political history, making personal accounts of joint family dynamics during turbulent eras like the Emergency of particular public interest.