Politics · India Bureau
Sonia Gandhi cites RSS 'conditioning' for Modi's Nehru criticism
In her memoir, the Congress leader says she has had little substantive contact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi but acknowledges some areas of potential common ground. Gandhi attributes Modi's sharp attacks on Jawaharlal Nehru to ideological conditioning by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
LSN India ·
Sonia Gandhi has offered a candid assessment of her limited engagement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in her newly released memoir 'Belonging', describing their interactions as minimal while suggesting his worldview has been shaped by his long association with the RSS.
The former Congress president said Modi's frequent and pointed criticisms of independent India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru reflect ideological imprinting from the Hindu nationalist organisation. Gandhi implied that this conditioning has influenced Modi's approach to India's secular and democratic framework.
Despite the apparent ideological gulf, Gandhi acknowledged that there exist some areas where common understanding might be possible. However, she did not elaborate on the specific issues where such convergence could occur, suggesting the relationship remains largely defined by fundamental political differences.
The memoir provides rare insight into Gandhi's private assessment of Modi, with whom she has had limited direct contact during their overlapping political careers. Her observations underscore the persistent fault lines between the Congress and the BJP over historical interpretation and the foundational principles that should guide India's governance.