Sonia Gandhi's Memoir 'Belonging' Offers Rare Personal View of Family History and Major Political Crises

Sonia Gandhi has released her 544-page memoir titled Belonging: A Journey of Love, providing a personal look into the Nehru-Gandhi family and key moments in modern political history.

Family and History

The book details her childhood in Italy, her marriage to Rajiv Gandhi, and her relationship with Indira Gandhi, whom she describes as both a protective mother-in-law and a demanding leader. The memoir covers major historical episodes including the 1975 Emergency, the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, and the Bofors scandal. She recalls private family conversations during the Emergency, including Rajiv advising his mother to hold elections and end the crisis following the Allahabad High Court verdict.

Tragedies and Politics

Sonia Gandhi writes about the shock of Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984 and the violence that followed, acknowledging that parts of the administration looked away. She addresses the Bofors controversy, the personal toll it took on Rajiv, and the 2004 Delhi High Court ruling that quashed charges against him. The book also recounts the 1991 assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, security failures flagged by the Verma and Jain commissions, and her own reluctant entry into politics. She notes that both Rahul and Priyanka opposed her taking the Prime Minister's post after the 2004 victory due to security fears.

Later Years

Later chapters discuss her time as Congress president, her conversation with Pranab Mukherjee in 2010 regarding a change at the top, and her lack of real contact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi beyond formal greetings. The book also touches upon the Congress party's decline, Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, the INDIA bloc, and her opposition to the RSS.

Context

Memoirs by prominent political figures often mix personal recollections with attempts to shape their public legacy on contentious historical events. The Nehru-Gandhi family has occupied a central role in Indian politics for decades, making accounts from within the household subjects of widespread public and political interest.