Sonia Gandhi’s memoir: Publishers’ lawyers asked for several cuts, changes before book deal collapsed

Penguin Random House India (PRHI) reportedly asked Sonia Gandhi for several changes and deletions to her upcoming memoir, leading to the collapse of the publishing arrangement for India. The book, titled Belonging: a Journey of Love, was scheduled for release on November 10, with Alfred A Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House, announcing a first print run of 100,000 copies for the global edition.

According to a report in The Indian Express that cited sources, lawyers representing PRHI flagged changes and deletions from several chapters of the manuscript and sent lists to the author. The discussions continued for at least two months. Initially cordial, the talks became difficult towards the end, the report said.

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While Knopf is the global publisher of Belonging, PRHI was to publish and distribute it in India. With PRHI now out, several Indian publishers are in the fray, and HarperCollins is reported to be close to finalising an agreement to publish and distribute the book in India, the report added.

The passages objected to included references to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his 12-year rule, the role of the RSS, instances of communal divide and riots, and the plight of minorities. Sonia Gandhi's side pushed back on two main grounds: that PRHI's lawyers were being over-sensitive, and that the numerous edits and deletions suggested would create a situation where the global and Indian editions would differ. The report cited a source saying readers in India would have to compare the global and Indian texts to know what had been changed or censored.

As per the sources, the book was worked on by the wife of one of Rajiv Gandhi's aides and a family friend, while PRHI had a team of at least three editors, including consultants. Those familiar with the memoir said it is Sonia Gandhi's most definitive account of her life and includes a concluding section on her views of Indian politics. The book has also been described as her most personal so far.

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PRHI said there was no "external pressure whatsoever". It called the book a "hard-won acquisition" and said it was keen on publishing it. The statement added that during discussions, several points were raised and deliberated upon, with some changes agreed to and others accepted as per the author's position.

Ultimately, an understanding could not be reached on a particular issue, after which the author's team decided not to proceed. PRHI respected their decision and said it would not divulge details due to confidentiality.

In a separate Instagram statement, PRHI said any suggestion that it decided not to publish because the author declined editorial changes does not reflect the circumstances. It added that fact-checking and recommendations are normal in publishing and that it remained willing and keen to publish the book.