Naravane memoir row: Publisher says book not released, Rahul Gandhi rebuts

New Delhi, Feb 10: As former Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane’s memoir Four Stars of Destiny continues to trigger heated exchanges in Parliament, Penguin Random House India (PRHI), which holds the exclusive publishing rights to the book, has clarified that the memoir has not yet been published or released in any form.

In a statement issued on Monday, PRHI said it is the sole publisher of Four Stars of Destiny and stressed that the book has not gone into publication.

“We wish to make it clear that the book has not gone into publication,” the publisher said, adding that no copies, either in print or digital format, have been made available to the public.

The publishing house also warned that any version of the memoir currently circulating, whether in full or in part, would amount to copyright infringement.

“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,” the statement said.

PRHI added that it would pursue appropriate legal remedies against the unauthorised dissemination of the material.

The clarification comes amid a criminal investigation into the alleged illegal circulation of the manuscript.

The Delhi Police have registered a first information report (FIR) and assigned the case to the Special Cell.

According to police, the case pertains to an alleged leak or breach involving a publication that is yet to receive approval for release, and a detailed investigation is underway.

The controversy has spilled over into Parliament, where the Opposition has repeatedly sought to raise issues linked to the unpublished memoir.

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was seen last week displaying a purported copy of the book in the Parliament complex.

He has attempted to cite excerpts from the memoir in the Lok Sabha since February 2 but has been disallowed on the grounds that the book has not been published.

The standoff has led to repeated disruptions of parliamentary proceedings, with the focus remaining on General Naravane, who served as Army chief during one of the most challenging phases for the Indian military in recent years.

Meanwhile, Gandhi, on Tuesday, cited a December 2023 social media post by Naravane informing people that that his book is "available now" to rebut publisher Penguin Random House India's statement that the 'memoir' has not yet been published.

Gandhi said he believes the word of the former army chief over Penguin. "This is the tweet Mr Naravane has made. The point I am making is either Mr Naravane is lying, and I believe the (former) Army chief, I don't think he will lie, or Penguin is lying. Both cannot be telling the truth," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

With inputs from PTI