New Delhi [India], November 10 (ANI): Congress leaders on Tuesday defended Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s newly released memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, rejecting BJP criticism over her reflections on the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition and noting that BJP leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani had expressed similar regret at the time.
The release of the book on Tuesday ignited a sharp political row, with the BJP accusing Gandhi of "whitewashing" historical wrongs, while Congress leaders accused the ruling party of trying to give the memoir a political angle.
Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Salman Khurshid said the Congress was in government when the Babri Masjid was demolished, and there was "very deep regret among everyone," including BJP leaders.
"Advani ji had also said that they did not want this to happen. Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said they didn't want this," he said, adding that nobody accepted that "in a democracy, someone should attempt to alter the course of democracy through sheer force."
Congress MP Rajeev Shukla said the BJP was trying to turn the memoir into a controversy, and referred to an alleged remark by a BJP leader asking whether "Babar" lived in Sonia Gandhi's heart.
"When Babri Masjid was demolished, Atal ji had heavily criticised it. Did Babar live in his heart? Advani ji had called it a grave mistake. Did Babar live in his heart? Jaswant Singh strongly condemned it. Did Babar live in his heart?" Shukla said.
"This should not be turned into a controversy... BJP is trying to give this a political spin. What is the need for this?" he said.
On the BJP's attacks, Khurshid also said, "Let them play politics. Even Sonia ji acknowledged that there would inevitably be some uproar. But they should read the book and try to understand it, rather than starting to shout right away."
Earlier, BJP National Spokesperson CR Kesavan criticised Sonia Gandhi over her memoir, saying it could have been titled ‘Whitewashing’ as he alleged that the book sought to sugarcoat historical wrongs committed by the Nehru-Gandhi family and the Congress party.
“Sonia Gandhi could have titled her memoir ‘Whitewashing’, instead of ‘Belonging’ because the motive of this book appears to be sugarcoating the historical wrongs perpetrated by the Nehru-Gandhi family and camouflaging the cardinal sins committed by the Congress party,” he said.
Questioning Sonia Gandhi’s references to the Babri Masjid, the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre, the Batla House encounter and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Kesavan asked whether she had expressed similar grief over the deaths of innocent people and security personnel.
“Sonia Gandhi says she cried for Babri Masjid. Did she shed even a drop of tears when Gurdwaras were attacked and thousands of innocents were brutally targeted and killed during the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre, which happened under Congress rule?” he said.
He also questioned her remarks about the Batla House encounter and asked whether she had expressed grief over the deaths of security personnel and innocent people during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
“Sonia Gandhi wept profusely for the Batla House terrorists. Did she cry when our brave jawans, in the line of duty, were martyred protecting our nation and people? Did Sonia Gandhi shed even a drop of tears when innocent lives were killed during the merciless 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai?” he questioned. (ANI)
Congress leaders defend Sonia Gandhi's memoir amid backlash over Babri Masjid remark
