New Delhi It seems that trouble is mounting for the beleaguered Congress. Spanish writer Javier Moro's 'The Red Sari', controversial, unauthorized biography of Congress President Sonia Gandhi is being released by Roli Books in India.
The book's English version was not allowed to be released in India in 2010. This was the time when the Congress-led UPA was in power and Sonia Gandhi, the widow of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was considered as one of the world's most powerful private leaders.
According to a report in 'The Indian Express' in 2010, the Roli Books' plan to publish the "dramatised biography" in India was stalled by protests from the party and threats of lawsuits. In 2015, however, the publisher is going ahead with its plan to bring out the book.
"In 2010, there was no official ban, but the circumstances created were such that we could not go ahead. The Spanish publishers of the book, Planeta, wrote to us saying that this is not the right time, and we don't want the book to be published in India. After the change of government in May 2014, we wrote to them (Gandhi's lawyers), asking them if they wanted to publish it now, and they gave us their consent," publisher of Roli Books Pramod Kapoor said.
According to UK 'Telegraph', she had taken strong exception to her portrayal in 'The Red Sari' as a snob who wanted to leave India following her husband's 1991 assassination. The book also portrays her as a central figure in Indira Gandhi's 1975 imposition of emergency rule.
Javier Moro's book, which has been successful in Italy and Spain where more than half a million copies have been sold, has been able to release his book in India now.
The Congress and Sonia Gandhi's lawyers describe the book as "full of untruths, half-truths, falsehoods, defamatory statements, completely imaginary and invented conversations" and warned she would "take all steps to protect and defend herself and her family."
According to media reports, she appears to have been most wounded by its claim that she had wanted to leave India, describing it as "this country that devours its children" and had complained about having to learn to speak Hindi. In the book, Moro writes that "Sonia did not understand why she had to learn a language only spoken by the servants."
The book also talks about the family feud and the strained relationship between Sonia and her sister-in-law Maneka Gandhi.
The book is potentially damaging for Sonia whose Italian origin is used against her by political opponents. The Congress which was almost decimated in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, has not been able to win in even a single state that went to assembly polls after that.
Javier Moro defended his claim that Sonia Gandhi had wanted to leave India. "There were articles in the Italian papers. After her husband died, her mother called, and it's logical that she asked 'when are you coming home'. It's not far-fetched it's a literary licence," he said.
The book is expected to cause more trouble for the Congress which is struggling to remain relevant after the massive defeat in recent elections.
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