New Delhi [India], August 29 : Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot has said that party leader Sonia Gandhi's upcoming memoir "is a testament to her courage and determination" and that any demand to alter these reflections under the guise of "editorial decisions" raises questions about an author's freedom to tell one's story.
In a post on X, Sachin Pilot took veiled potshots at the government over allegations of pressure and said "difficult voices and inconvenient perspectives must have the freedom to be heard" in a democracy.
"Reports that Penguin India sought changes and deletions to CPP Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji's memoir, which she rejected, raise some serious questions. While Penguine Random House is publishing the book internationally, what was the rationale behind Penguin India asking for these changes and deletions? Were they under any pressure?" he asked, attaching a media report that said that the author rejected the alterations sought by the publisher.
https://x.com/SachinPilot/status/2093616434127753643
"The book is a reflection of her journey, and she has the freedom to tell her story. Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji has dedicated her life to the service of the nation, and her memoir is a testament to her courage and determination. Any demand to alter or delete these reflections under the guise of 'editorial decisions' raises questions about author's freedom to tell one's story. In a democracy, difficult voices and inconvenient perspectives must have the freedom to be heard," Pilot added.
Penguin Random House India on Friday issued a statement clarifying that it is not the publisher in India of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's memoir 'Belonging'.
The publisher made the clarification following media reports, which claimed that it had withdrawn from releasing 'Belonging' in the country, as she had reportedly rejected proposed editorial changes."Penguin Random House India is not the publisher of 'Belonging' in India.
Any suggestion that Penguin Random House India decided not to publish 'Belonging' because the author declined editorial changes does not accurately reflect the circumstances," the note read.The publisher said it's still "keen to publish the book" and stressed that fact-checking and suggesting editorial changes are part of its responsibility. "As a publisher, it is both our prerogative and our responsibility to fact check and provide authors with recommendations that are in the best interests of their books. This is a normal part of the publishing process. Throughout the relevant discussions, Penguin Random House India's position was that we remained willing and keen to publish the book. We will not comment further on confidential discussions with the author," the statement further read.
The memoir chronicles Sonia Gandhi's remarkable journey, from her childhood in post-war Italy and her romance that brought her to India to the devastating personal losses that profoundly shaped her life and her relationship with her adopted country.
In the memoir, the 79-year-old Congress veteran, who holds the distinction of being the party's longest-serving president, revisits her childhood in Italy, her romance with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi during their time at Cambridge, and the assassinations of her mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi, and husband Rajiv Gandhi. Born in Italy, Sonia Gandhi was a 19-year-old student in Cambridge, England, when she met Rajiv Gandhi in 1965.
The couple exchanged vows on February 25, 1968. Recently, on the 82nd birth anniversary of his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi expressed excitement about his mother's book.
"I am happy, and so proud, that your story--'Belonging: A Journey of Love'--will finally be read by the millions of people who love you. I know how hard it was for someone as private as you to tell the world your beautiful story. Today, on his birthday, I can see Papa smiling and looking down proudly at his beautiful Sonia," the Congress leader added.
Publisher Alfred A Knopf had announced on August 18 that Sonia Gandhi's memoir, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', will be published on November 10. Alfred A Knopf is an imprint of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, which is a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Their parent company is Bertelsmann AG, an international media company.