New Delhi. Several senior Congress leaders on Friday alleged that pressure is being put on the publisher and it is tantamount to “murder of freedom of expression” over the issue of publication of party parliamentary party chief Sonia Gandhi's autobiography in India. Earlier, Penguin Random House India said it is not the publisher of Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi's autobiography 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' in India.
The statement came after a report in English daily The Indian Express claimed that the publisher backed out after Sonia Gandhi refused to make “editorial changes” to the manuscript. American publisher Alfred A. Knopf' had announced a few days ago that the book would be published on November 10. Alfred A. Knopf is a publishing division of Penguin Random House.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, in a post on Gehlot asked, “After all, what is the reason or what is the pressure that what is being printed all over the world cannot be printed in India?” He said, “Sonia Gandhi ji's life is an example of renunciation and sacrifice. The purity and dignity with which she has served the country is an example.'' According to Gehlot, stopping the book of Sonia Gandhi, the country's senior politician and leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, by putting pressure on her is ''akin to murder of freedom of expression.''
He alleged, “The real issue is that Penguin India was pressurized to remove the parts related to (Narendra) Modi, RSS and the parts related to the occupation of Indian territory by China during the Modi rule.” The Congress leader asked, “Why is this truth being hidden from the public of India?” Will the Modi government put pressure on the publishers and get the facts changed?
Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath also expressed concern over this matter. He said, “The publisher's refusal to publish the autobiography of our leader respected Sonia Gandhi is a matter of utmost concern.” Kamal Nath asked, “Will the publisher decide what a senior person like Mrs. Gandhi will write and what not?” The question is also whether the publisher himself is saying this or is he under pressure from someone?'' He said that even before this, the publication of some important books has been stopped under suspicious circumstances and he considers such a trend as a ''serious threat to freedom of expression''. Kamal Nath said, “Sonia Gandhi's autobiography should be published soon.”
Gaurav Gogoi, deputy leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, 'weakened' Penguin's statement in this matter. “What a weak statement,” he posted on X. Penguin India has no objection to publishing several books on 'Exam Warriors' and RSS, in fact it is fully willing to do so. There is no doubt that some people in the BJP government are now afraid that the people of India will read this book.'' Congress Seva Dal President Srinivas B.V. also gave a sharp reaction regarding this matter. He claimed, “It seems a bit ridiculous to sit on Penguin's lap and talk about 'editorial freedom'.” If there was a backbone, they would be called publishers. Now you just look like a Sanghi penguin.
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