Four Stars of Destiny… the autobiography of former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane (which has not yet been released in the market) has become the center of a political storm these days. The opposition is quoting portions of this unpublished book in Parliament to corner the Modi government and accuse Prime Minister Modi of adopting a weak stance on China.
Allegedly, in this book, Naravane—who was the Army Chief at the time—has spoken about his position and the government’s approach during Chinese advancements. However, the issue on which Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi is targeting Prime Minister Modi relates to the instructions given to the Army to stop the Chinese forces that were advancing towards Indian posts in the hills of the Kailash Range.
What exactly is the controversy around General Naravane’s account?
According to Rahul Gandhi, Naravane wrote that “when PLA (People’s Liberation Army) soldiers, along with tanks, were advancing towards Rezang La, he called Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to seek instructions.”
About two hours later, he reportedly received an order from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, conveying Prime Minister Modi’s message, in which the Prime Minister said, “Do what you think is appropriate.”
It is this instruction from the Prime Minister that the opposition, especially Rahul Gandhi is questioning. They argue that instead of giving clear directions, the Prime Minister shifted the responsibility onto the Army Chief.
(Though it can also be seen as the Prime Minister giving the Army full freedom of action, which in military terms is called operational freedom.)
Meanwhile, the government maintains that a book which has not yet been published cannot be quoted in Parliament as per the rules.
How did Rahul Gandhi get access to an unpublished book?
What is surprising is that the very next day, Rahul Gandhi reached Parliament carrying a copy of this book (hardcover) and waved it, saying that he had brought it to gift to Prime Minister Modi. The uproar over this issue was so intense that the Prime Minister had to cancel his speech in the House, which he was supposed to deliver in reply to the debate on the President’s Address.
Now, if we look at the developments over the last two days, several crucial questions emerge—beyond the military situation at the time.
First question: Has this book actually been published by Penguin Books? If it has, then why is it not available on their website or on online platforms?
Before the controversy erupted, the hardcover edition of this book was available on e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart, but now it has either been removed or is no longer available for sale.
Second question: If the book has not been officially published by Penguin, then how did this book reach Rahul Gandhi?
From these two questions, three conclusions can be drawn.
First, that the book has not been published, as officially stated by the Defence Minister in the House.
Second, that the copy Rahul Gandhi carried to Parliament could be a pirated (fake) copy, which he somehow managed to obtain.
Third, that the book may have already been printed but not released in the market—and that this is the copy that reached Rahul Gandhi.
Why should Penguin be questioned?
Piracy of popular and bestselling books is nothing new. Despite multiple laws and regulatory bodies, the Government of India has struggled to curb fake publishers, and pirated copies are sold openly.
But this case is different. Here, the book has not even been officially published yet. If that is so, how can piracy exist in the first place?
Is there someone within Penguin itself who leaked the copy? Or has the book already been printed and is simply lying in a warehouse, awaiting clearance from the Ministry of Defence? This possibility gains weight because in an interview last April, General Naravane had said that he had completed the book and handed it over to the publisher, but approval from the Defence Ministry was still pending.
If that is the case, then either the publisher Penguin Books or the author, General Manoj Mukund Naravane, must clearly state what the current status of the book is. Has it received the necessary clearance from the Defence Ministry? If yes, then why did Defence Minister Rajnath Singh claim in Parliament that the book is unpublished? And if the book is indeed unpublished and still awaiting approval, then how did a copy reach Rahul Gandhi?
For now, the debate over what Naravane wrote in the book and who was right or wrong on the China issue is one aspect. But beyond that, the legality and status of this book also need to be examined.
After all, piracy is nothing short of a disaster for Indian publishers. And if the Leader of the Opposition himself is promoting it, then who can one expect accountability from?
It is hoped that the Defence Ministry will also take cognizance of this matter and seek answers from the publisher, Penguin Books, on how this book found its way into the market.