When Sanjay Gandhi Slapped Indira Gandhi In A Private Party

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Lewis M Simons was the Washington Post correspondent in Delhi when the Emergency was imposed. His story claiming that Sanjay Gandhi slapped Indira Gandhi at a dinner party shook Delhi. Simons recounts how he got the story and the reaction of Sonia and Rajiv Gandhi when he met them long after the Emergency had been lifted. Scroll.in conducted this interview over email.

The slapping incident occurred at a private dinner party before the Emergency was imposed. As is common practice among journalists, I did not write about it immediately, but saved it for later use. I no longer recall whether I have such information as what may have provoked Sanjay. It has been 40 years and you did not give me any advance notice.

The story was picked up widely by other foreign media outlets, including in an article in the New Yorker magazine by the highly respected writer Ved Mehta.

The journalist also states of the miserable conditions daunted by police officials on his wife when she was left behind him in Delhi with their two daughters.

"The self-described “world’s largest democracy," could if face Emergency than, it could happen in the United States. It could happen anywhere." reasons Simons.
After Emergency got over, Simons was called for a meeting by Gandhi where he met Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. He never met Sanjay.