Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday publicly challenged the official stance of Penguin Random House India regarding the unpublished memoir Four Stars of Destiny by former Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane. Gandhi cited a December 2023 social media post by Naravane that he says contradicts the publisher’s claim that the book has not been released to the public.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, quoted the 2023 post from Naravane’s account on X (formerly Twitter), in which the retired general reportedly wrote, “Hello friends. My book is available now. Just follow the link. Happy reading. Jai Hind.” Gandhi said this suggested the memoir was accessible, and used it to refute Penguin Random House India’s statement that no copies had been published or distributed.

Gandhi framed the issue as a direct contradiction: “Either Mr. Naravane is lying, and I do not think he will lie, or the publisher is lying.” He stressed he believed the former Army chief over the publishing house’s published clarification and added that the memoir contained statements that were “inconvenient for the government.”

Also Read: Opposition Walks Out of Rajya Sabha Over Rahul Gandhi Speech Row

Penguin Random House India has repeatedly asserted that Four Stars of Destiny has not yet been published in print or digital format and holds exclusive publishing rights. The publisher further clarified that while pre-orders and listings may have existed, a book is considered “published” only when it is available for purchase through official retail channels. They also warned that any circulating manuscript would likely violate copyright rules.

The controversy has triggered broader legal and political actions. The Delhi Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) over the alleged unauthorised circulation of the manuscript in digital formats, signalling a probe into potential copyright infringement or other breaches.

The memoir row has spilled into parliamentary debates, media coverage, and political criticism, with opposing parties using the dispute to question credibility and transparency. The BJP has defended procedural clarity around unpublished works, while the opposition insists on reconciling the contradictory claims from Naravane’s past statements and the publisher’s current position.

Also Read: Rijiju Criticises Rahul Gandhi Over Naravane Remarks, Calls It “Frivolous Rhetoric”