A war of words broke out between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress following the release of Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi ’s book, Belonging: A Journey of Love, while the ruling party alleged that the memoir sought to “whitewash” the wrongs committed by the Nehru-Gandhi family, the Congress rebutted the allegations, accusing the BJP of raising historical controversies for political gains.
Union minister Giriraj Singh took a swipe at Sonia for noting in her memoir that Prime Minister Narendra Modi tends to look away whenever he comes face-to-face with her, saying, “With how many people will he make eye contact? He has already made eye contact once. “…in her book, Sonia Gandhi attempts to absolve Rajiv Gandhi and their family. This stands in direct contradiction to the official record.
Targeting over the reference to anti-Sikh riots of 1984, BJP leader HS Phoolka, a prominent lawyer who fought cases for Sikh victims, said in a press conference: “In her book, she (Sonia) has attempted to grant a self-clean chit to her own family—even regarding the massacre of Sikhs…
“This account is entirely contrary to the facts,” said Phoolka. It is an absolute lie,” the BJP leader said.
Is this belonging about votes? The way you rejected the chair back then, and the way you presented yourself thereafter, was portrayed as an act of sacrifice and penance… “…For somebody as bold as Sonia Gandhi, she has the courage to speak the truth…Let her have the right to say that.
Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC said in “1991, 1984 and 2004, you made the country cry, and now you speak of belonging.
“…the motive of this book appears to be sugarcoating the historical wrongs perpetrated by the Nehru-Gandhi family and camouflaging the cardinal sins committed by the Congress party,” Kesavan said. In her book, Sonia said she was shocked by former President Pranab Mukherjee ’s suggestion of a change at the top, which she understood as “a hint of his long-held desire to become prime minister”. Congress MP Jebi Mather referred Sonia in describing the development as a “Tamasha”. For the BJP, everything is an agenda,” she said.
Sharmistha Mukherjee defends father’s political ambition
Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti praised the Congress leader. “Sonia Gandhi has evolved into a leader, then into a stateswoman, she has gone through a lot.
I think no other woman politician would have endured as much as she did,” she said in Srinagar.
