'No copies published': Penguin India issues statement amid row over China claims in ex-Army chief Naravane’s memoir

Amid political storm over the unpublished memoir by former Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane, Penguin Random House India on Monday (Feb 9) has clarified that the book has not gone into publication and no copies, print or digital, have been published, distributed, sold, or made available to the public. The publishing house also stated that it holds the sole publishing rights the book named ‘Four Stars of Destiny’. It also warned that action will be taken in accordance with the law against the “illegal and unauthorised dissemination of the book.” While the ruling BJP has termed the claims in the book quoted by Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi as “unverified”, the Congress MP insisted that the government is afraid of revealing the truth. Earlier, searches on Amazon, Flipkart, and Penguin Random House India’s official website showed the title was either missing or marked unavailable.

Also Read: PM avoided Lok Sabha over Naravane memoir row, not security concerns, Rahul Gandhi claims

What is the statement by Penguin Random House?

Releasing a statement on X, Penguin India stated, "In light of recent public discourse and media reporting, Penguin Random House India would like to clarify that we hold the sole publishing rights for the book Four Stars of Destiny, a memoir by General Manoj Mukund Naravane, former Chief of the Indian Army. We wish to make it clear that the book has not gone into publication. No copies of the book - in print or digital form - have been published, distributed, sold, or otherwise made available to the public by Penguin Random House India." Penguin Random House India further said that any copies currently in circulation, in any format or on any platform, constitute a copyright infringement and must be immediately ceased.

Also Read: Naravane’s book ‘Four Stars of Destiny’, which Rahul Gandhi cited in parliament, goes missing on Amazon, Flipkart

The publisher warned that it will exercise remedies available under law against the illegal and unauthorised dissemination of the book. "Any copies of the book currently in circulation, in whole or in part, whether in print, digital, PDF, or any other format, online or offline, on any platform, constitutes an infringement of PRHI's copyright and must immediately be ceased. Penguin Random House India shall be exercising remedies available in law against the illegal and unauthorised dissemination of the book," said X post. It added, “This statement is being issued to place the publisher's position on record.”

What happened in Parliament?

On Feb 2, during the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address debate, Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke about India-China border clashes from an “unpublished book” allegedly by former Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane. The ruling BJP raised objection by claiming that quoting from "unverified sources" is not allowed. Rahul Gandhi then made the same claims about the clashes as quoted by a magazine that had reportedly accessed the unpublished transcript of Naravane's book. He was once again stopped from making the claims by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Gandhi accused the government of lying to the public and claimed that the unpublished book shed light on India and China's Doklam standoff.

What are the claims made in the 'unpublished book' about India-China tensions?

The 'unpublished book' in question is 'Four Stars of Destiny', a memoir by former Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane, which has been allegedly stalled for publication by the Ministry of Defence since 2024. Excerpts from the book that the Leader of Opposition was quoting in the Lok Sabha refers to claims that country's top leadership did not act decisively when Chinese tanks moved within 500 meters of Indian positions in 2020. The excerpts also claim that there was a lack of high-level intelligence regarding the unusual PLA activity before the initial 2020 incursions. It also goes on to claim that India acted defensively and not strategically in seizure of the Kailash Range.