Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) [India], November 12 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday criticised Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi over her newly released memoir, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', accusing her of attempting to whitewash the Congress party's history and blaming the Army for the 1984 anti-Sikh violence.
Speaking to ANI, Chandrasekhar said he has not read the book and does not plan to read it in the near term.
"I haven't read the book, and I don't really plan to read it in the near term because of a very clear reason. I read one excerpt that quotes her views during one of the most horrific periods in Indian history, the Sikh genocide, the pogrom that was conducted by the Congress Party, targeting members of the Sikh community in 1984. Now, I read what she says, and she says that it was the Army's fault. Her own colleague, Sam Pitroda, said a few years ago, when he was asked about this, he said, 'Hua toh hua.' Either Mrs Gandhi believes that we are all fools, that every Indian is a fool, or she is ignorant of the history," Chandrasekhar said.
The BJP leader further alleged that the Congress party was responsible for the 1984 anti-Sikh violence and referred to a controversial remark made by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
"Nobody in this country believes that there was anybody responsible for the 1984 riots but the Congress Party. It was the Congress Party that her family, her husband, was at the top of that her husband at that time, Rajiv Gandhi, the late Prime Minister, himself said, 'When a tree falls, the earth shakes,' justifying the violence against Sikhs," he said.
Questioning the account of events in the memoir, Chandrasekhar said he would not read the book if its contents sought to alter the historical narrative and whitewash alleged crimes committed by the Congress.
"So, if the rest of the book is exactly like this, trying to whitewash history, trying to change the very nature of what the history of India was, and trying to whitewash crimes that the Congress Party has committed against the people of India, then obviously the only people who want to read it are Congressmen. So, for the moment, I am not going to read the book," he said.
Reiterating his criticism, the BJP state president said Sonia Gandhi had done a disservice by blaming the Army for the 1984 violence, adding that responsibility should instead be attributed to the Congress leadership and those involved in the attacks on the Sikh community.
"For the moment, I am not going to read the book. I certainly think she has done a great disservice by blaming the Army for the 1984 pogrom, because if there is anybody who should be blamed for it, it is the leader of the Congress Party at that time, and the minions and the foot soldiers of the Congress Party who committed these crimes against the Sikh community in Delhi and elsewhere," Chandrasekhar said.
He also suggested that the memoir should have carried a different title, accusing the Congress of attempting to present its political history in a favourable light.
"I believe that the book should have been called 'Whitewashing'. I think a better title for this book would be, 'Let Me Whitewash the Congress History and Let's Pretend That Nothing Bad Happened Over the Last 70 Years.' No crimes and no amount of loot and corruption were committed by the Congress in the last 70 years. If that is her intention, to have the book fool the people of India, I want to break the bad news to her that, as much as they try to rewrite the history of India, Indians know what the Congress Party's record has been in the last 70 years," he said.
The release of Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, has triggered widespread political reactions, with leaders from various parties weighing in on its contents.
While opposition leaders hailed the book as an authentic reflection of personal sacrifice, struggles, and historical truth, Congress figures urged citizens to read it and pushed for a swift Hindi translation.
The book has sparked considerable public and political interest, drawing praise for its unembellished depiction of Gandhi's life alongside sharp scrutiny from critics. (ANI)
"Book should have been called 'Whitewashing'": BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar slams Sonia Gandhi's memoir
