Naravane Confirms Four Stars of Destiny Not Officially Published
Gandhi cited a 2023 social media post by Naravane announcing the book’s release and said either the former Army chief or the publisher must be incorrect
New Delhi: General MM Naravane has publicly endorsed a statement from Penguin Random House India regarding his memoir, Four Stars of Destiny. By sharing the publisher’s notice on X with the caption, “This is the status of the book,” the former Army Chief confirmed that the book has not officially gone into publication.
The publisher clarified that they hold the sole rights and that no digital or print copies have been distributed or sold. Consequently, General Naravane’s post serves as an affirmation that the memoir remains unreleased and that any versions currently in circulation are unauthorised and illegal.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused the publisher of former Army Chief General MM Naravane’s memoir Four Stars of Destiny of lying, claiming the book was available for sale online.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Gandhi cited a 2023 social media post by Naravane announcing the book’s release and said either the former Army chief or the publisher must be incorrect. He added he believed Naravane’s statement and alleged the book contained material inconvenient for the government.
Penguin Random House India had earlier clarified that the book has not been published and no copies — print or digital — have been released, distributed or sold. The publisher said any circulating versions constitute copyright infringement and legal action would be taken against unauthorised dissemination.
Delhi Police have taken cognisance of claims that a pre-print copy of the memoir is being circulated online. The Special Cell has registered a case and begun an investigation into the alleged leak of an unpublished publication.
The controversy erupted after Gandhi attempted to quote from the purported pre-print book during his Lok Sabha speech on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address. The Speaker ruled that unpublished material should not be cited, triggering protests from the Opposition and objections from treasury benches.
