New Delhi, August 29: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has responded to Congress’s allegations regarding the controversy surrounding Sonia Gandhi’s book, ‘Belonging.’ BJP leaders dismissed the Congress claims as baseless, stating that the issue lies between the author and the publisher.
The controversy erupted when Penguin India, the publisher, refused to print Sonia Gandhi’s autobiography. Following this, Congress raised questions about the government’s involvement.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat stated on Saturday, “There is some disagreement between the author and the publisher. The publisher has its prerogative, and the author has her viewpoint. Why bring the government into this? They could have found another publisher.”
BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdev expressed confusion over Congress’s accusations of government pressure. He noted that Penguin India and Random House India clarified that the book does not belong to them. “The motives behind this are known only to them or Sonia Gandhi. They stated they were trying to remove certain sections, which Sonia Gandhi disagreed with. This is a dispute between the publisher and the author,” he said.
Shahdev further explained that similar situations have occurred before, where a publisher objects to certain content. “What role does the government play in this? The allegations are unfounded. The BJP has no involvement; this is strictly a matter between the author and the publisher,” he added.
He also urged Sonia Gandhi to clarify what the controversial sections were. “Did she write something about her mother-in-law or her brother-in-law that she shouldn’t have? Or is there something else that Penguin has mentioned? She remains silent on this,” he remarked.
BJP leader R.P. Singh also weighed in, stating, “Whenever a book is published, it is based on the relationship between the publisher and the author, and both share responsibility. They are accountable for the facts and content in the book.”
He emphasized that if any issues arise regarding certain sections that could lead to controversy or legal matters, the publisher must face the consequences. “I believe Penguin may have had concerns about the factual accuracy of the content, which is why they decided not to publish it,” Singh concluded.
Meanwhile, Bihar government minister Ashok Kumar Chaudhary commented, “We do not know what the reality is. We are unaware of who pressured Penguin regarding Sonia Gandhi’s book. Discussions have taken place, but we do not know the actual facts.”
BJP leader T.R. Srinivasan remarked, “This is Sonia Gandhi’s book, which was supposed to be published by Penguin. The timing seems politically motivated and non-literary. Penguin has raised objections because any book published must contain accurate facts.”
Leave a Comment