Penguin Random House India has denied reports that it backed out of publishing Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s memoir *Belonging: A Journey of Love in India* after she refused to accept editorial changes suggested by the publisher.In a statement posted on X on Saturday, Penguin Random House India clarified that it is not the publisher of the book. It also said reports linking the alleged decision to Gandhi’s refusal to accept changes to the manuscript were not accurate.“Any suggestion that Penguin Random House India decided not to publish ‘Belonging’ because the author declined editorial changes does not accurately reflect the circumstances,” the publishing house said.The clarification came after *The Indian Express* reported that Penguin Random House India had decided against publishing the memoir after Gandhi rejected certain proposed changes and deletions in the manuscript.Penguin India said fact-checking and suggesting editorial changes are a routine part of the publishing process.“As a publisher, it is both our prerogative and our responsibility to fact check and provide authors with recommendations that are in the best interests of their books,” it said.The publishing house also said that during discussions over the manuscript, it remained “willing and keen to publish the book”.### Congress leaders question India publicationThe issue has triggered criticism from several Congress leaders, including former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath and Lok Sabha deputy leader Gaurav Gogoi.They questioned why the memoir was reportedly not being published in India in its original form.Gehlot alleged that pressure may have been put on the publisher to remove references related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the RSS and China’s occupation of Indian territory. He questioned what “reason or pressure” was behind the reported developments.Gehlot described the matter as the “murder of democracy” and said it raised concerns over freedom of expression. Kamal Nath called it a “serious threat”, while Gogoi criticised Penguin India’s clarification and questioned whether there had been any government pressure.### What is Sonia Gandhi’s memoir about?*Belonging* traces Sonia Gandhi’s life from her childhood in post-war Italy to her move to India after marrying former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The memoir also looks at her years as the daughter-in-law of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.The book covers her eventual entry into politics after years of resisting calls to join active politics. It also recounts her decision in 2004 to decline the prime minister’s post after the Congress-led alliance won the general election.The memoir was originally announced for publication in the US by Alfred A. Knopf, a publishing house owned by Penguin Random House. It is scheduled to be released on November 10, 2026, with an initial print run of 100,000 copies.In an earlier statement issued by Knopf, Sonia Gandhi said the memoir would give readers her perspective on the social and political changes she witnessed during more than six decades in India. She referred to India as “the beautiful country of my belonging”.Gandhi has largely stayed away from writing a conventional autobiography despite having authored and edited books in the past. People familiar with the memoir have described it as her most personal and definitive account of her life.Knopf has described *Belonging* as a memoir centred on “love, family” and India, while portraying Gandhi as one of the world’s prominent women leaders.With Penguin India now clarifying that it is not the publisher of the book, the status of its publication in India remains uncertain. *The Indian Express* has reported that several major publishers are now competing for the Indian rights.