Sonia Gandhi Memoir ‘Belonging’ Row: Penguin Rejects Claims Over Book’s Publication Dispute

India Today

A showdown over Sonia Gandhi's memoir 'Belonging' has intensified following a statement released by publisher Penguin Random House India. Addressing suggestions that the publishing house decided against releasing the book due to unaccepted editorial changes, Penguin Random House India clarified that such claims do not accurately reflect circumstances. The publisher maintained that it remained willing and keen to publish the book, highlighting that fact-checking and providing recommendations to authors are both its prerogative and responsibility. The transcript notes the significance of the book, which covers Sonia Gandhi's journey of making India her home following personal tragedies, including the assassinations of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and her political rise.

Transcript

00:00In other news that's coming in, there's been a showdown over Sonia Gandhi's memoir and that is intensifying.

00:06Penguin Random House India has put out a statement and I want to immediately bring some clarity to it.

00:12I'm quoting from the statement of Penguin Random House India.

00:16Not the publisher of Belonging in India.

00:20Penguin Random House India has said and I quote it here.

00:23Any suggestion that Penguin Random House India decided not to publish Belonging because the author declined.

00:28Editorial changes does not accurately reflect circumstances.

00:32Throughout relevant discussions, Penguin Random House India's position was that we remained willing and keen to publish the book.

00:40And there's also a mention on fact-checking.

00:43That fact-checking was consistently done by the publishers.

00:49And has that led to perhaps any sort of disagreement?

00:53But not more is being mentioned here by the publishers.

00:57Rahul Gautam is joining me for the latest on that.

01:00We'll try and get you more clarity on what exactly happened.

01:02Remember, this was a much-hyped, a special personal mention coming of Sonia Gandhi.

01:09A woman who was not an Indian national.

01:12How she made India her home through all the tragedies and devastation she faced in her personal life.

01:17Assassination of Indira Gandhi, her husband Rajiv Gandhi, both then sitting Prime Ministers.

01:22And then how she really rose up, not just political ranks, but ensured that her family was safe.

01:29All that and more was clearly being looked at to this book with regard to the title of Belonging.

01:36But there's a certain showdown that has emerged on this.

01:39And I'm going to also read again from what Penguin House India has said.

01:45That the statement that while they're not going to reveal further details,

01:50but they're focused specifically on the fact of fact-checking that has been done.

01:59And that they have categorically mentioned that we were never intending not to publish the book.

02:04Let me quickly read it.

02:05As a publisher, it is both our prerogative and our responsibility to fact-check and provide authors with recommendations.

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