From Shah Bano to 1999 Congress revolt: 5 political moments in Sonia Gandhi’s memoir

The Shah Bano controversy, the Babri Masjid demolition and the 1999 revolt within the Congress over her foreign origin are among the political episodes Sonia Gandhi revisits in her memoir, offering her account of decisions and events that shaped the party and her own political journey.The book also recalls personal milestones, including the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 and her subsequent withdrawal from public life.

It traces how her concerns over the Congress's declining political position eventually led her to join active politics and take over as party president in 1998.In the memoir, named Belonging: A Journey of Love, five episodes stand out for their political significance, from disagreements over policy decisions during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure to the internal rebellion that threatened her leadership of the Congress in 1999.Shah Bano case (1985): Sonia questions Rajiv Gandhi's decisionSonia Gandhi recalls disagreeing with her husband, then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, over his government's handling of the Shah Bano case.Shah Bano, a Muslim divorcee, had approached the court seeking maintenance from her husband, who had remarried and thrown her out of their home.

The court ruled in her favour, but the judgement was challenged on the grounds of Muslim Personal Law.Sonia writes that she was agitated by the developments and questioned Rajiv after reading newspaper and magazine reports and hearing women activists speak in support of Shah Bano."The papers are accusing you of sacrificing Muslim women's interests. What's going on? Why are you letting this happen?" she recalls asking him.Rajiv defended his position, telling her: "Wouldn't I defend women's rights—don't you know me?"He explained that he was trying to address the concerns of women like Shah Bano without putting the entire framework of Muslim Personal Law in jeopardy.

Sonia acknowledges that the compromise sought to balance religious beliefs with gender justice, but says the legal amendment overturning the court's decision was widely criticised.Babri Masjid demolition: Turning point in Sonia's political thinkingThe demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in December 1992 and the communal violence that followed feature prominently in Sonia's account of the political developments that eventually pushed her towards public life.She describes the incident as a clear indication that the BJP-RSS and their affiliates were advancing their political agenda openly rather than working behind the scenes.Sonia connects the demolition and its aftermath with her growing concerns about the future of India's secular values and the Congress party's political position.Recalling her state of mind in the years following Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, she writes that she had repeatedly resisted calls to enter politics.

However, the changing political circumstances and the weakening of the Congress began to trouble her."The India of my belonging had come to me through my husband and my mother-in-law," she writes, explaining her growing sense of responsibility towards the country and the political ideals they had upheld.1991: Rajiv Gandhi's assassinationRajiv Gandhi's assassination in 1991 marked a devastating turning point in Sonia's personal life.

She recalls how the Congress Working Committee met the day after his assassination and decided that she should become the party's next president. However, she had no interest in taking up the position.The Congress subsequently formed the government under P V Narasimha Rao after winning the election. Sonia remained largely secluded, with the loss of her husband leaving her unable to imagine returning to public life.Describing her state of mind, she writes: "My Rajiv was gone, nothing else mattered."She also recalls how Rahul and Priyanka tried to protect her from the media coverage surrounding the assassination and its investigation.

Her grief continued for years, affecting even routine public appearances.1998: Sonia takes over as Congress presidentAfter remaining away from active politics for several years, Sonia began getting increasingly concerned about the Congress's declining position and internal divisions.She had become a primary member of the party in 1997 after attending its 80th plenary session in Calcutta at the invitation of then Congress president Sitaram Kesri.On March 14, 1998, following the Congress Working Committee's decision that a leadership change was necessary, Sonia was elected party president, replacing Kesri.She describes the transition as daunting, particularly because she had to lead a nationwide political organisation despite her limited experience in its internal functioning."I'd lived all those years in a political family, had absorbed and assimilated their core beliefs, but to be in charge of the historic Congress Party was daunting," she writes.Sonia also recalls her initial hesitation during party meetings, saying she gradually learnt to understand the organisation by listening to her colleagues and studying the issues being discussed.1999: Govt formation attempt, revolt over foreign originOne of the most significant episodes in the memoir is Sonia's account of the Congress's unsuccessful attempt to form a government in 1999 after the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government lost a no-confidence motion by a single vote.As the leader of the largest parliamentary group, Sonia was tasked with exploring the possibility of forming an alternative government.

She writes that the Congress and its allies had a combined strength of 233 MPs, while other parties had assured support to take the tally to the required majority of 272 in the 543-member Lok Sabha.However, the promised support failed to materialise. Reflecting on the episode, she admitted: "Nevertheless, it was a miscalculation on my part. Our group was depending on assurances given by certain persons, and those were not fulfilled."The political setback was followed by another crisis within the Congre…