New Delhi, June 2 (IANS) The Congress Wednesday refused to comment on the contents of Madrid-based writer Javier Moro’s novel based on party president Sonia Gandhi’s life, saying ‘it was not appropriate to comment without reading the book’.
‘We have not seen the book. It is not available in the market. It is not appropriate to comment on the book without reading it,’ Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told IANS.
Asked about reports that the Congress wanted the book, whose English translation is ready for publication, to be withdrawn, Ahmed said that party leaders dealing with the legal aspects of the issue would be in a better position to comment.
‘Without reading the book, how can we say whether to ban the book or make it available,’ he added.
Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who met Sonia Gandhi Wednesday, said a legal notice concerning the book had been sent to its publishers seven months back. He said he had replied in writing to a newspaper about its queries concerning the notice sent to the publishers.
The Spanish book called ‘El Sari Rojo’ has been translated into Italian, French and Dutch. Singhvi, who is handling legal matters for Gandhi, has taken exception to the contents of the book.
The book refers to her origins in Italy, her meeting Rajiv Gandhi and their marriage, the difficulties she faced after his assassination and her entry into politics.
