Now Reading: Sonia Gandhi memoir triggers BJP attack over 1984 riots account
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Sonia Gandhi memoir triggers BJP attack over 1984 riots account
The Story in Brief
Sonia Gandhi’s memoir ‘Belonging: A Journey of Love’ published on Tuesday (10 November 2026) has triggered a political confrontation, with the BJP attacking the Congress over the book’s account of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. BJP leader Arvinder Singh Lovely said the book wrongly claims the army was absent during the riots, while BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also raised the Bofors scandal. West Bengal CM Shubhendu Adhikari criticised the book, while Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and former RAW chief A.S. Dulat praised it.
The memoir also reveals personal details: Sonia Gandhi writes that Rahul Gandhi feared his father Rajiv Gandhi would be killed, warning in March 1991 that if security was not increased he would have to attend the funeral. She recounts learning of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination on 21 May 1991 from Priyanka Gandhi, and her hesitation to give up her Italian passport after marriage, which she eventually did in 1983.
Update, 11 November 2026: Bhaskar.com reports that Sonia Gandhi‘s memoir reveals Rahul Gandhi warned in March 1991 that if his father’s security was not increased he would have to attend the funeral. Prabhat Khabar and TV9 Hindi add details on how Sonia learnt of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination from Priyanka and her hesitation to give up her Italian passport. Aaj Tak confirms the BJP’s attack over the 1984 riots account.
Indian Opinion Analysis
BJP leaders cited in Aaj Tak and the previous version attack Sonia Gandhi's memoir over the 1984 riots account and the Bofors scandal, while Congress figures quoted in the same source defend the book. Bhaskar.com, Prabhat Khabar and TV9 Hindi focus solely on the memoir's personal revelations, Rahul Gandhi's security fears, the moment Sonia learnt of Rajiv Gandhi's death, and her hesitation to give up her Italian passport, with no political commentary. The uniform coverage across these three outlets is straight reportage of the book's contents, whereas Aaj Tak frames the story as an ongoing political confrontation. A reader relying only on the personal-anecdote sources would miss the BJP's objections entirely. Aaj Tak and the previous version are the only outlets that attribute any critical political framing to named BJP figures. The date to watch is the book's publication on Tuesday (10 November 2026), which has already triggered the political responses reported.
Coverage: 4 sources, 1 government-critical, 3 neutral
Sources (4): prabhatkhabar.com (neutral report), tv9hindi.com (neutral report), aajtak.in (government critical), bhaskar.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 4 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
