Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 22: Veteran Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has made her debut on Instagram, sharing the first look of her upcoming memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love.

In her first post on the photo-sharing platform, the 79-year-old Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson shared a video of herself receiving a copy of the book and introducing it to readers.

“Hello everyone, I'm truly grateful to share this moment with you all; the first look of Belonging: A Journey of Love,” Sonia Gandhi said in the video. “It is a story of love, duty, loss and finding a place to belong. I look forward to sharing it with you.”

The memoir has attracted considerable attention for its account of Sonia Gandhi’s life, from her childhood and relationship with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to her journey in Indian politics.

The book had earlier become the subject of controversy after its publisher, Penguin Random House India (PRHI), sought editorial changes. Some Congress leaders alleged that Sonia Gandhi had been asked to remove passages referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Publisher Clarifies Position

Amid the controversy, Penguin Random House India issued a clarification, stating that it had been keen to publish the memoir but ultimately decided to withdraw following a stalemate over a particular issue. The publisher also denied yielding to external pressure and said the book’s contents remained confidential.

The publisher said fact-checking and offering editorial recommendations were normal parts of the publishing process, adding that it had remained willing to publish the book throughout the discussions.

The controversy ended after HarperCollins India announced that it would publish the memoir on November 10.

Describing Belonging as one of the most anticipated political memoirs, HarperCollins said the book offers a deeply personal account of love, identity, duty and belonging, along with an insider’s perspective on India’s journey.