Priyanka Gandhi defends Sonia's memoir, hits out at BJP over 'years of lies'
Synopsis
Sonia Gandhi's memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' has set off a sharp political exchange — and Priyanka Gandhi used her Wayanad constituency visit to fire back at the BJP, arguing that decades of silence gave her mother not just the right but the reason to tell her own story. The BJP's counterattack, targeting the Emergency and 1984, signals this book fight has only just begun.
Key Takeaways
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra defended Sonia Gandhi's memoir during a visit to Wayanad on 12 November 2026 .
Sonia Gandhi's memoir, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' , was released on 10 November 2026 .
Priyanka accused the BJP and RSS of spending years fabricating stories about her mother.
The BJP has criticised the memoir, alleging it attempts to whitewash the Emergency and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots .
Priyanka Gandhi won the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in a 2024 by-election after Rahul Gandhi vacated it to retain Rae Bareli .
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday, 12 November 2026, mounted a strong defence of her mother Sonia Gandhi's newly released memoir during a visit to her Wayanad constituency, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and RSS of spending years spreading falsehoods about the former Congress president. Priyanka said she was pleased the BJP was now 'reading' her mother's book.
What Priyanka Gandhi Said
Speaking to reporters in Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi argued that Sonia Gandhi had stayed silent through decades of attacks and had every right to now put her own account on record. '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. 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. I am happy they are reading her book,' she said.
About the Memoir
Sonia Gandhi's memoir, titled 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', was released on 10 November 2026 and chronicles her personal journey alongside her years at the centre of Indian politics. This was Priyanka Gandhi's first visit to Wayanad since the book's launch, making the constituency her platform for responding to the political storm the memoir has triggered.
BJP's Counterattack
The BJP has come out strongly against the memoir, accusing Sonia Gandhi of attempting to whitewash controversial chapters of the Congress party's history — specifically the Emergency and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The Congress has countered that Sonia Gandhi is fully within her rights to present her own account of events, framing the criticism as an extension of the same political hostility she faced for decades.
Priyanka's Wayanad Visit
The Wayanad visit is part of a three-day constituency tour during which Priyanka Gandhi is scheduled to inaugurate development projects and review ongoing works. On Thursday, she visited the family of late Padma Shri awardee and traditional seed conservationist Cheruvayal Raman in Mananthavady. She was also scheduled to inaugurate two Smart Anganwadis at Kammana and Thrissillery. Notably, Priyanka Gandhi represents Wayanad in the Lok Sabha having won the seat in the 2024 by-election after her brother, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, vacated it to retain Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh.
The Broader Political Context
The memoir's release arrives at a charged political moment, with the Congress-BJP rivalry showing no signs of cooling. This is not the first time Sonia Gandhi has been at the centre of partisan controversy, but it marks the first occasion she has formally addressed her critics through a published personal account. Observers note that the timing — well ahead of the next general election cycle — could shape how the Congress seeks to rehabilitate its foundational narrative.
Point of View
And abandoning it now reframes the terms of a long-running culture war around her legacy. The BJP's reflexive pushback on the Emergency and 1984 is tactically predictable, but it also risks giving the book more oxygen than it might otherwise receive. What is striking is that Priyanka Gandhi chose a constituency event in Wayanad — a seat she won by displacing her own brother — as the stage for her most pointed defence yet of her mother. The Congress appears to be turning the memoir into a campaign document, testing whether Sonia Gandhi's personal narrative can carry emotional weight with voters who have only ever encountered her as a political abstraction.
NationPress
12 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sonia Gandhi's memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' about?
'Belonging: A Journey of Love' is a personal memoir by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, released on 10 November 2026. It chronicles her personal journey and her years at the heart of Indian politics.
Why did Priyanka Gandhi respond to BJP criticism of the memoir?
Priyanka Gandhi argued that Sonia Gandhi had stayed silent for decades while the BJP and RSS spread lies and fabricated stories about her, and therefore had every right to now tell her own story. She said she was 'happy' the BJP was reading the book.
What is the BJP's objection to Sonia Gandhi's memoir?
The BJP has accused Sonia Gandhi of trying to whitewash controversial episodes in Congress party history, specifically the Emergency and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The Congress has rejected this characterisation and defended Sonia Gandhi's right to present her own account.
Why is Priyanka Gandhi the MP from Wayanad?
Priyanka Gandhi won the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in a 2024 by-election after her brother Rahul Gandhi chose to retain his Rae Bareli seat in Uttar Pradesh, vacating Wayanad. It was Priyanka Gandhi's electoral debut.
What else did Priyanka Gandhi do during her Wayanad visit?
During her three-day visit, Priyanka Gandhi paid respects to the family of late Padma Shri awardee Cheruvayal Raman in Mananthavady and was scheduled to inaugurate two Smart Anganwadis at Kammana and Thrissillery, alongside reviewing constituency development works.
