In a sharp escalation of the ongoing parliamentary standoff over former Army Chief General MM Naravane’s unpublished memoir, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi launched a blistering attack on the government and publisher Penguin on Tuesday. Speaking to the media after the Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned amid chaos, Gandhi accused the BJP of suppressing ‘inconvenient truths’ from the book, claiming it is already circulating in the public domain.
Gandhi pointed to the memoir’s availability on e-commerce giant Amazon, a claim swiftly denied by Penguin. He brandished a 2023 X post by the ex-Army Chief himself, urging people to read the account of the 2020 Galwan clashes. ‘Just click the link and read. Jai Hind,’ Gandhi quoted, challenging, ‘Either Penguin is lying, or the former Army Chief is. Both can’t be right.’
The controversy has paralyzed Lok Sabha proceedings for over a week. The opposition insists on debating the ‘revelations,’ while the government blocks every attempt. Tensions peaked on Monday when Gandhi waved a copy of the book outside the House, igniting fresh acrimony.
Standing firmly with Naravane, Gandhi questioned government priorities: ‘I trust Naravane, not Penguin. Who would you trust over a publisher?’ Opposition leaders argue the memoir exposes uncomfortable facts about the Galwan standoff that embarrass the ruling dispensation, explaining the desperate bid to silence it.
Penguin Random House India issued a firm statement clarifying that ‘Four Stars of Destiny’ has not been printed, distributed, sold, or made available in any form—digital or physical. Despite this, the row shows no signs of abating, with the opposition vowing to press on in Parliament.
As the winter session hangs by a thread, this clash underscores deepening divides between the treasury and opposition benches, with national security narratives at its core. The coming days will test how far the government goes to keep the memoir under wraps.