Priyanka Gandhi Accuses Rivals of Fabricating Stories
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday strongly defended her mother, Sonia Gandhi’s newly released memoir, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of spreading lies and fabricating stories about her for years.
Speaking to reporters during her visit to her Wayanad constituency, Priyanka Gandhi stated that her mother had remained silent for most of her adult life in India despite being subjected to sustained criticism and allegations by the BJP, RSS, and others. She emphasized that this silence was not an absence of opinion but a choice made while facing continuous political pressure.
"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," Priyanka Gandhi said, highlighting the duration and intensity of the allegations leveled against her mother.
The Congress leader emphasized that Sonia Gandhi now had the right to present her own account of events after years of silence. She expressed happiness that the BJP was ready to read the book, noting that for so long, the party had been telling lies about her mother. This readiness to engage with the text, according to Priyanka Gandhi, marks a shift from mere fabrication to actual engagement with the truth.
BJP Criticizes Memoir's Historical Account
The Bharatiya Janata Party has criticized the memoir, accusing Sonia Gandhi of attempting to whitewash controversial chapters of the Congress party's history. Specifically, the BJP pointed to the Emergency period and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as key areas of contention in the book, arguing that the narrative presented does not adequately address these sensitive historical moments.
In response to these allegations, the Congress party defended Sonia Gandhi’s right to present her own account of events, asserting that she is entitled to share her perspective on historical matters. The party framed the memoir as a necessary correction to the distorted narratives propagated by political opponents over decades.
Visit Marks First Trip Since Book Release
The visit to Wayanad on November 12 marked Priyanka Gandhi’s first trip there since the release of Sonia Gandhi’s memoir, titled 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', on November 10. The timing of the visit underscores the immediate political significance attached to the book's publication and the subsequent reactions from both allies and adversaries.
Priyanka Gandhi represents Wayanad in the Lok Sabha after winning the constituency in the 2024 by-election. She assumed the seat following Rahul Gandhi vacating it to retain his position in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh. This transition of seats within the family has been a focal point of political discourse, with Priyanka Gandhi now establishing her own political identity while simultaneously defending her mother's literary contributions.