HarperCollins India to publish Sonia Gandhi's memoir 'Belonging' after Penguin backs out
PTC News Desk: HarperCollins India will publish Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's memoir amid controversy over the book's publication in India.
The memoir, titled Belonging: A Journey of Love, is scheduled to be released worldwide on November 10. The book will cover Gandhi's childhood in post-war Italy, her move to India, her marriage to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and her long career in Indian politics.
HarperCollins described the memoir as one of the most-awaited political books and said it would provide an insider's view of India's political journey.
Controversy over book's publication
The controversy began after reports claimed that Penguin Random House India had decided not to publish the memoir in India.
According to the reports, the publisher had suggested certain changes and deletions in the manuscript, but Sonia Gandhi's team did not agree to them.
The controversy grew after US-based Alfred A Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House, announced that the book would be released globally on November 10.
Penguin India later clarified that it was not the publisher of the book in India.
The issue then became political, with Congress leaders alleging that Penguin India had sought the removal of passages related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the RSS and India-China relations. They also alleged that the publisher's decision was influenced by pressure.
- With inputs from agencies
