Sonia Gandhi has revealed details of a Christmas Day visit to Tihar Jail in 1978, where she delivered a home-cooked lunch to her mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi. The account is featured in her memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, which was released on November 10.
During this period, Indira Gandhi was imprisoned in Tihar following the defeat of her government by the Janata Party after the Emergency. Sonia Gandhi, who writes that she visited the jail daily during that week, aimed to maintain a sense of normalcy despite the political turbulence. For the Christmas meal, she prepared a menu of soup and vegetables, supplemented by sliced ham, roast potatoes, and a Christmas pudding provided by a friend.
The plan underwent adjustments after Indira Gandhi requested that the food be sufficient to share with the three women guarding her and a young Australian prisoner in her compound. Sonia Gandhi describes the inmate as an accomplice of serial killer Charles Sobhraj, who had been convicted for multiple murders across Thailand, Nepal, and India. When it was discovered that the Australian prisoner did not eat ham, the menu was altered to include roast chicken.
Despite a note from Indira Gandhi sent the previous day directing her daughter-in-law not to deliver lunch, Sonia proceeded to the jail with the food, a book, and children's cards. Indira Gandhi was released from prison the following day.
Key facts
- The events took place on Christmas Day 1978 at Tihar Jail.
- Indira Gandhi was imprisoned after the Janata Party took power following the Emergency.
- Sonia Gandhi's memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, was released on November 10.
- The lunch menu was changed to roast chicken to accommodate the dietary needs of an Australian inmate.
- Indira Gandhi was released from Tihar Jail the day after the Christmas visit.
Background
The episode occurred during a period of political transition in India when the Janata Party formed the government after the Emergency. The memoir provides a personal account of the family's experience during the former Prime Minister's time in custody.
Source: Times of India
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