New Delhi [India], November 10 (ANI): Businessman Robert Vadra on Tuesday praised Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi over her memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', describing her life journey as an extraordinary story of love, courage, resilience and strength, while encouraging readers to form their own opinions after reading the book.
Expressing pride in his mother-in-law's journey, Vadra said that her life and experiences could serve as an inspiration for women, adding that much of her work for India stemmed from her love for the country.
"Thank you for your interest in my mother-in-law’s book. I must say I am incredibly proud of her and her journey. Hers is truly an extraordinary story of love, courage, resilience and strength. She has been through so much in life, yet continues to stand tall with remarkable grace and conviction. I genuinely believe her story is one that every woman can draw inspiration from," Vadra said in a statement.
"At its heart, it is also a story of great love. Much of what she has done for India, and the commitment with which she has lived her life, has stemmed from that very love," he added.
However, Vadra said that he had not yet had the opportunity to read the book himself, but understood that it offered insightful perspectives on Sonia Gandhi's life, experiences and thoughts.
"I haven’t actually had the opportunity to read the book myself yet, but I understand it offers deeply insightful, intelligent and honest perspectives on her life, experiences and thoughts. I would encourage you to read it and form your opinion thereafter, based on her own words and the story she has chosen to share. My best wishes," he said.
In her memoir, Sonia Gandhi has also articulated a sharp ideological divergence between her political philosophy and that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing their long-standing political rivalry as a contest between two different visions of India rather than a personal feud.
Gandhi wrote that her understanding of India was shaped by her family, their lives of service and their belief in a nation encompassing diverse races, cultures, languages and faiths, founded on liberty and equality.
"We come from different ideological worlds; his idea of this country is vastly different from mine. All I learnt about India was assimilated from the members of my family, their lives of service, and their faith in a nation that encompassed a host of races and cultures, languages and faiths, based on principles of liberty and equality for all," she wrote.
She further said that she was fighting for an India rooted in inclusiveness, secularism and social justice, while describing the Prime Minister's vision as one shaped by the ideologues of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and his own upbringing.
"Narendra Modi’s idea of India was constructed by the ideologues of the RSS and the experience of his own growing up. It affirmed a fundamentalism in which his faith and culture superseded all others. In that India, hierarchy, order, and control are central. He was fighting for his vision of India, and I for mine: an India against hegemony, an India that stands for inclusiveness, secularism, and social justice," she noted.
Sonia Gandhi also reflected on her interactions with Prime Minister Modi, saying that despite his having served as the country's Prime Minister for more than 12 years, she had practically no real contact with him.
"Narendra Damodardas Modi has been the prime minister of India for more than twelve years as of this writing and is now in his third term in office. To this day, I’ve had practically no real contact with him. We meet at semi-official gatherings—for instance, at the end of every Parliament session, when leaders of the major parties customarily gather at the Speaker’s chamber. It’s a very small room, and usually many people are present, but when he comes face-to-face with me, we greet each other with a formal namaste. This is different from the past, when leaders across party divides would treat one another with cordiality," she added.
The memoir, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', offers Sonia Gandhi's reflections on her personal journey, political experiences and understanding of India. (ANI)
"Truly an extraordinary story of love, courage, resilience and strength": Robert Vadra praises Sonia Gandhi's memoir
