BJP's C R Keshavan accuses Sonia Gandhi of whitewashing Emergency in recently published memoir

BJP national spokesperson C R Kesavan accused former Congress president Sonia Gandhi of attempting to justify the Emergency in her recently published memoir, "Belonging: A Journey of Love,” and quipped that the book should have instead been instead named “whitewashing,” reported PTI.

Criticising Gandhi’s book in a post on X, Kesavan said the book’s motive was "sugar-coating the historical wrongs perpetrated" by the Nehru-Gandhi family.

The spokesperson’s comments came following the release of the politician’s memoir, wherein she opined on the 1975 Emergency, calling it a mistake. Gandhi also said she believes that her mother-in-law and former prime minister Indira Gandhi also came to feel the same.


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"Sonia Gandhi could have titled her memoir as 'Whitewashing' instead of 'Belonging', because the motive of this book appears to be sugar coating the historical wrongs perpetrated by the Nehru Gandhi family and camouflaging the cardinal sins committed by the Congress party," PTI reported citing Kesavan.

The senior congress leader also wrote that much of the damage that followed the enactment of the Emergency would’ve been circumvented if her husband Rajiv Gandhi had kept his brother Sanjay Gandhi “in check.”

Kesavan, highlighting the 1984 Sikh riots, criticised the opposition leader for her opposition to the demolishing of Babri Masjid.

"She says she cried for Babri Masjid. Did Sonia Gandhi shed even a drop of tear when Gurudwaras were targeted and thousands of innocent people were violently killed during the 1984 Sikh Massacre which happened during Congress rule?” he said.

According to PTI, the spokesperson also criticised the senior politician over alleged governance failures under the previous Congress government.

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"Sonia Gandhi cried profusely for the Batla House terrorists, but did she weep for the brave CRPF jawans who were martyred in the line of duty protecting our nation and people?"

"Did Sonia Gandhi cry for the innocent lives lost in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks which happened under the Congress Govt. Will her book answer why the cowardly Congress-led UPA Govt failed to retaliate?" he asked.

According to the agency, the BJP spokesperson also condemned Gandhi’s alleged attempt to justify and normalise the Emergency, which according to him, murdered the Constitution and suspended fundamental rights.

(With inputs from PTI)