Rahul Gandhi Claims BJP Leaders Secretly Like Sonia Gandhi Amid Memoir Row

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that the more BJP critics comment on former party chief Sonia Gandhi's memoir, the better the book will sell. Speaking during an Instagram 'Ask Me' session, Gandhi claimed that numerous BJP members secretly like his mother and think she is fantastic but cannot admit it publicly. He urged critics to keep commenting on the text, telling them to push it hard and be aggressive because that helps the publication. Sonia Gandhi's memoir, titled 'Belonging: A story of love', hit the shelves on Tuesday, November 10. Readers lined up at prominent bookstores in central Delhi to buy copies upon its release. The BJP criticized the book on Tuesday, accusing Sonia Gandhi of trying to justify the 1975 Emergency and giving a clean chit to her husband Rajiv Gandhi regarding the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, stating the memoir should be named 'whitewashing'. Meanwhile, Congress leaders praised the work for being candid and lauded her achievements.

Context

Biographies and memoirs written by prominent political figures frequently spark sharp public debates between rival political parties in India. Online social media platforms like Instagram have increasingly become direct channels for politicians to address critics and engage supporters without traditional press briefings.