Congress leaders on Friday (August 28, 2026) accused Penguin Random House India of giving in to pressure over the publication of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love , with senior party leader Ashok Gehlot alleging that the publisher sought to remove portions critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the RSS, and the alleged “occupation” of Indian territory by China.
“Penguin Worldwide is ready to publish Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji’s upcoming book worldwide in its original form, but Penguin Random House India wants changes made to launch it in India. After all, what is the reason or what pressure is there that what is being published across the world cannot be published in India? Mr. “Will the publisher decide what a senior figure like Mrs. Gandhi will write and what she will not? The question also arises whether the publisher is saying this on its own or if there is pressure from someone on it? Mr.
The Congress reactions came after Penguin Random House India issued a statement, saying that “fact-checking and editorial recommendations” were part of its normal publishing process. Gehlot said in a post on X. He said Ms. Gandhi’s “integrity and dignity” in public life were exemplary and alleged that suppressing her book under pressure amounted to a “murder of freedom of expression”. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath termed the publisher’s refusal to bring out the memoir in India a matter of “grave concern” and questioned whether the decision had been taken independently. Nath said. Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi described Penguin India’s statement on the controversy as “weak”.
“Such a weak statement. Penguin India is more than happy to publish Exam Warriors [written by Mr. Modi] and several books on the RSS. No doubt there are those in the BJP government who have now become afraid of a book being read by the people of India,” Mr.
Because the author declined editorial changes does not accurately reflect the circumstances,” a company spokesperson said, any suggestion that Penguin Random House India decided not to publish Belonging.
Gogoi said on X. Earlier reporting noted: Editorial dispute report on Sonia Gandhi’s memoir inaccurate, says Penguin India Penguin Random House India (PRHI) on Friday dismissed a news report that the publication house refused to publish Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s much-anticipated memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love over an alleged disagreement over “editorial changes”. Earlier reporting noted: The statement came in the wake of a report by The Indian Express that PRHI has decided not to publish the book over “editorial changes and deletions” sought by the publisher in a section of the manuscript – an alleged demand that was refused by Gandhi.
Earlier reporting noted: “Penguin Random House India is not the publisher of Belonging in India.
