Marriage with Sanjay, then family conflict and separation: Sonia tells Maneka's story
New Delhi. Maneka Gandhi, who became the younger daughter-in-law of the Gandhi family after her love marriage with Sanjay Gandhi, has narrated the story of how Maneka Gandhi's relationship with this family reached bitterness and conflict, its story has been narrated by Sonia Gandhi in her book. In the book, Sonia has mentioned the events of family feud, political ambitions, mutual allegations and ultimately Maneka leaving Indira Gandhi's house. According to him, Sanjay Gandhi and Maneka were introduced in the last months of 1973. Within a year, both of them got married and 18 year old Maneka became a part of the Gandhi family.
In her book 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', Sonia Gandhi has narrated the events from a vibrant and talkative girl becoming the “chhoti bahu” of the Gandhi family to the bitterness in the relationship due to domestic and political differences, which can be called a reality show in today's era.
He has written in the book, Maneka had a lot of enthusiasm. In the beginning it felt good to have a sister-in-law in the house. But gradually the atmosphere started changing and problems started arising in the house over small things. In this 526-page book published by HarperCollins India, Sonia Gandhi has mentioned various stages of her life. It covers the story of her childhood in post-war Italy, marriage into the Nehru-Gandhi family, the assassination of her husband Rajiv Gandhi and her entry into politics.
Maneka and herself were considered equal daughters of the house.
Sonia writes that the employees of the house used to call her Bahurani. She considered Maneka and herself as equal daughters of the house and wanted that there should be enough space and intimacy between them. He wrote, “…but perhaps Maneka took it as an understatement. When she spoke rudely, I would usually remain silent to maintain peace in the house, but when I felt that things had gone beyond limits, I would not hesitate to give her a blunt reply.
There used to be an argument between Maneka and Sanjay
Shortly after the marriage, differences between Sanjay and Maneka started coming to the fore to other family members. The debate between the two started becoming more intense and heated. Sonia writes, Maneka used to use abusive words when she was angry, even in front of my mother-in-law. Use of such words was prohibited at home. This made Sanjay uncomfortable and all of us were shocked. It must not have been easy for a young girl to live in a joint family, especially when she had a sociable and outgoing nature.
Bitterness had arisen between brothers Sanjay and Rajiv.
According to the book, when Maneka started accompanying Sanjay to political functions and events, she appeared to be becoming somewhat more comfortable in the family. Sonia Gandhi writes that Maneka's influence on Sanjay had started interfering in the relationship between her and Rajiv. Till a few months ago, bitterness had arisen between the two brothers, who were very close to each other. After Sanjay's name was associated with the Emergency, he started expressing his opinion on the slow functioning of the bureaucracy in interviews. Some of his views could also be seen as criticism of the Prime Minister.
Sanjay played a role in the defeat of Congress
Sanjay's political ambitions started getting support from some factions of Congress. According to Sonia, Indira started feeling that instead of trying to convince Sanjay, Maneka was instigating him for his activities. Sonia writes that Indira Gandhi had told her then Cabinet Secretary PN Dhar about her younger daughter-in-law, that hair has already started appearing on her. After the parliamentary elections of 1978, Maneka's “animosity” towards her family increased further. Rajiv believed that Sanjay had played a big role in the crushing defeat of Congress in the elections.
Rajiv told Sanjay- I cannot forgive you
The former Congress president has written in the book, she (Rajeev) felt that Sanjay's stubbornness, rashness, haste in implementing programs without thinking, his tendency to not listen to good advice and on many occasions working without his mother's knowledge led to this adverse outcome. Referring to a family discussion, Sonia writes that during that time Rajiv had said to Sanjay in extreme anger, I cannot forgive you, Sanjay. You have brought mother to this condition. According to Sonia, her mother-in-law Indira Gandhi was also upset and distressed. Supporting Rajiv's point, he said, what Rajiv has said is right, Sanjay! How many times have you given orders without my knowledge. Meanwhile Maneka intervened. On this, Indira Gandhi challenged him in a loud voice to prove these allegations wrong. Maneka immediately backed down, but her resentment towards the family increased further.
Condition became critical after Sanjay Gandhi's death
Sonia writes that Maneka's sarcastic comments were becoming a constant cause of trouble. He wrote, as far as Maneka was concerned, we were her enemies. She spread stories about us through journalists with whom she was in contact. What hurt us the most was the false allegation that Rajiv and I had planned to flee the country after losing the elections. He says that the situation became more serious after the death of Sanjay Gandhi in a plane crash on June 23, 1980.
Maneka's eyes were somewhere else
According to Sonia, it was believed that Maneka's mother was encouraging Sanjay's supporters to demand a political position for his wife in the Congress. But Indira Gandhi believed that 23-year-old Maneka was too young and immature to assume the responsibility of leadership. Besides, he had a three-month-old child and was supposed to take care of it. Indira believed that Maneka should be patient and that she would have enough time ahead to fulfill her political ambitions. However, it soon became clear that Maneka had her eyes elsewhere.
Firoz Varun Gandhi's first birthday celebrated at Vasundhara Raje's house
Less than a year after Sanjay's death, signs of Maneka's departure from the family started appearing. Sonia writes that Indira Gandhi had suggested holding a small family party on the first birthday of her grandson Firoz Varun Gandhi. Later they came to know that the grandson's birthday was celebrated, but at Vasundhara Raje's house. Vasundhara Raje is the daughter of Vijaya Raje Scindia, the former queen mother of Gwalior, who was a staunch supporter of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and a political opponent of Indira Gandhi at that time. Later Vasundhara became the Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
Birthday celebrated at Vasundhara's house with the aim of hurting Indira
Sonia writes that this event was clearly organized with the intention of hurting Indira Gandhi. Later Vasundhara Raje also helped Maneka in selling her magazine 'Surya' to an RSS member. According to the former Congress president, the move was tantamount to insulting not only Indira Gandhi, but also the memory of her son and all those, including his father, who had opposed the communal ideology of the RSS since the days of India's freedom struggle.
Maneka had crossed all limits
He wrote, Maneka had crossed all limits with this step. My mother-in-law took it as an open challenge. According to Sonia, when Indira Gandhi was in London on an official tour, she got the news that Maneka was sending her belongings out of the house. On his return, he reprimanded Maneka for her political activities and disloyalty to her family and made it clear that she would have to decide whether she would stop her activities or go away to live separately.
Maneka held Indira, Rajiv and Sonia responsible for leaving the house
Sonia writes that Maneka sent a letter full of allegations, the purpose of which was clearly to tarnish the image of her mother-in-law. It was clear that she wanted to create such a controversy through which the responsibility of leaving the house could be publicly put on Indira Gandhi. He had told his plan to a journalist friend several weeks ago. According to Sonia, Maneka, while presenting her side on this entire incident, held not only Indira Gandhi but also Rajiv and Sonia responsible for leaving the house. He wrote, the way the entire incident was carried out and the way the publicity was created after it, gave that shameful incident such a form that in today's times would be called a 'reality show'.
Maneka refuses to allow family members to meet child
In the years that followed, there was a legal battle between the Gandhi family and Maneka over the right to meet Feroze Varun Gandhi. Ultimately Maneka refused to allow the family members to meet the child. Sonia writes, when the legal proceedings were dragging on, Firoz's fourth birthday arrived. By then my mother-in-law was busy with the impending crisis in Punjab. He asked me to deliver some gifts to the child's nursery school. He further wrote, The next day news was published in the newspapers, in which Maneka alleged that my mother-in-law had sent me to kidnap the child.
Maneka joined BJP in 2004
According to Sonia, her mother-in-law's last reply to Maneka's lawyer was sent on April 19, 1984. Less than two months later, the military action which came to be known as 'Operation Blue Star' took place. Maneka had tried her luck as an independent candidate in the 1984 Lok Sabha elections, but lost to Rajiv Gandhi. Subsequently, in 1988, she joined VP Singh's Janata Dal and formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2004.