HarperCollins to publish Sonia Gandhi’s memoir amid row over Penguin backing out

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Sep 4, 2026: HarperCollins India will publish Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s memoir amid a controversy over Penguin Random House India’s decision not to publish the book, the publisher announced on Friday.

The memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, is scheduled for global release on November 10. It will chronicle Gandhi’s journey from her childhood in post-war Italy to her life in India, her marriage to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and her decades at the centre of Indian politics.

Calling the Congress leader’s work "one of the most anticipated political memoirs of our time", HarperCollins said the book offers a "rare insider’s view of India’s journey".

The development comes after Penguin India decided not to publish and release the book in India. Reports said the publisher had sought certain editorial changes and deletions from parts of the manuscript, which Gandhi’s team did not agree to.

The controversy over the Indian publication of the book began after US-based Alfred A Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House, announced that the book would be released worldwide on November 10. Subsequently, Penguin India issued a clarification stating that it was not the publisher of the book in India.

This triggered the political controversy, with Congress leaders alleging that Penguin India had sought the removal of passages relating to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the RSS and India-China relations. Congress leaders also alleged that Penguin India’s decision was under pressure.

The leaders alleged that the publisher’s "refusal" to publish the autobiography is a "murder of freedom of expression" and a matter of grave concern.

Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot alleged that Penguin India was pressured to remove passages on PM Modi, the RSS and China’s occupation of Indian territory during PM Modi’s tenure, calling it "the murder of democracy". Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi also criticised Penguin, saying, "No doubt there are those in the BJP government who have now become afraid of a book being read by the people of India."

However, Penguin India claimed that there was no external pressure behind its decision to not publish the memoir, acknowledging that there was an impasse over "a particular issue" during discussions.

A representative of the publisher said the memoir was a book that Penguin was "really keen on publishing", describing it as a "hard-won acquisition". The publisher added, "Since the content of the book is confidential and under embargo, there was no external pressure whatsoever".

The publisher said the two sides were unable to reach an understanding on one particular issue, adding that it was Sonia Gandhi’s team that informed the publisher that they did not wish to proceed with the publication.