The controversy over former Army Chief General (Retd) MM Naravane’s yet-to-be-published book Four Stars of Destiny has escalated into a political and legal flashpoint, drawing sharp reactions from the Opposition, the publisher, and investigating agencies. Speaking to the media outside Parliament, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi questioned the conflicting claims surrounding the book’s publication status.
Trusts Naravane, Questions Publisher Claims
Gandhi said he trusted the former Army Chief’s statements more and suggested that either Naravane or publisher Penguin was not telling the truth. He also claimed the manuscript contains material uncomfortable for the government and top leadership. Gandhi also referred to an earlier social media post by Naravane promoting the book and stating it was available online, raising further questions over whether the manuscript had already entered circulation before formal clearance.
Publisher Denial, Police Probe Intensifies
Penguin Random House India issued a statement maintaining that the book has not been published in print or digital form. The publisher warned that any circulation of the manuscript would amount to copyright violation and said it would pursue legal action against those distributing unauthorized copies. Meanwhile, Delhi Police have registered a case over the alleged circulation of a PDF version of the book on social media platforms and certain websites.
