Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has weighed in on the controversy surrounding former Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane’s memoir, openly questioning the publisher’s version of events and suggesting that the truth lies elsewhere. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament on Tuesday, Gandhi framed the issue as a matter of credibility, placing his faith firmly in the former Army chief.
“Either Naravane is lying or Penguin is lying. I don’t think the former Army chief will lie,” Gandhi said, setting the tone for a political and legal debate that has now drawn national attention.
Rahul Gandhi Flags ‘Inconvenient’ Content
Gandhi pointed to a social media post made by General Naravane in 2023, where the retired Army chief had promoted his memoir Four Stars of Destiny. According to Gandhi, the controversy is not merely about publication status but about the substance of the book itself. He argued that certain portions of the memoir were “inconvenient for the Government of India and the Prime Minister,” implying that this discomfort may be linked to the dispute over its availability.
The Congress MP also highlighted what he described as contradictions in the publisher’s claims. While Penguin Random House India has stated that the book is yet to be published, Gandhi noted that copies appear to be available online. He said this raised serious questions about who was being truthful in the ongoing row.
Congress Amplifies Questions Over Publication Claims
The Congress party formally echoed Gandhi’s remarks, drawing attention to General Naravane’s own public statements. Citing his earlier tweet encouraging readers to purchase the book, the party questioned the publisher’s assertion that the memoir was never released. “Penguin says the book has not been published, but the book is available on Amazon. Gen. Naravane has tweeted, ‘Please buy my book in 2023.’ I believe Naravane ji over Penguin. Do you believe Penguin over Naravane ji?” the party asked.
Here is a tweet from Mr Naravane which says, “Just follow the link to my book.” The point I am making is this: either Mr Naravane is lying, or Penguin is lying. I do not think the former Army Chief would lie. Penguin says the book has not been published, but the book is available… pic.twitter.com/Xtn7gygC2K
— Congress (@INCIndia) February 10, 2026
Gandhi reiterated that the former Army chief’s observations in the memoir had clearly unsettled the government. He maintained that the public must decide whether to trust the word of a decorated military leader or that of a publishing house now threatening legal action.
Publisher Denies Release, Police Probe Begins
Earlier, Penguin Random House India issued a clarification asserting that it holds exclusive rights to Four Stars of Destiny and that the book has not entered official publication. “We hold the sole publishing rights for the memoir by General Manoj Mukund Naravane. The book has not gone into publication,” the company said, warning that any circulating copies amount to copyright infringement.
The matter has since escalated, with Delhi Police registering an FIR and assigning the Special Cell to probe the alleged leak of the manuscript. The controversy intensified after Rahul Gandhi was seen holding what he claimed was a copy of the memoir inside Parliament last week. His attempt to quote from it in the Lok Sabha on February 2 was blocked, citing the book’s unpublished status.
