Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday strongly defended her mother, Sonia Gandhi’s, newly released memoir, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party and RSS of spreading lies and fabricating stories about her for years, and said she was happy that the BJP was now reading her book.
They have lied, they have fabricated stories and also invented stories about her, and she has been quiet. Now, she is telling her story, and she has the right to do so. It is good that they are ready to read it. For so long, they (BJP) have been telling lies about my mother, and now she is telling the truth. The book, which chronicles Sonia Gandhi’s personal journey and her years in Indian politics, has triggered a political exchange between the Congress and the BJP.
Speaking to reporters during her visit to her Wayanad constituency, Priyanka Gandhi said her mother had remained silent for most of her adult life in India despite being subjected to sustained criticism and allegations by the BJP, RSS and others. “For the whole of my mother’s adult life in India, the BJP, RSS and many others have said whatever they wanted about my mother. I am happy they are reading her book,” she said.
The BJP has criticised the memoir, accusing Sonia Gandhi of attempting to whitewash controversial chapters of the Congress party’s history, including the Emergency and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Earlier reporting noted: ‘She has right to tell her story’: Priyanka hits back at BJP over mother Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Thiruvananthapuram: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday said that her mother, former party chief Sonia Gandhi, “has a right to tell her story”, saying that many people have said “whatever they want” about her for a long time. Earlier reporting noted: This comes amid the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacking Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s book, Belonging: A Journey of Love, alleging that the memoir sought to “whitewash” the wrongs committed by the Nehru-Gandhi family. Earlier reporting noted: The Wayanad MP said that her mother had a right to tell her story, which she was doing through her book.
The Congress, however, has defended her right to present her own account of events.
