New Delhi: Publisher Penguin Random House India (PRHI) clarified Monday that former Army chief General M.M. Naravane’s memoir — quoted by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha last week — has not been published and warned of legal action against its unauthorised circulation.
“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,” the publisher said in a written statement.
The publishing house said it would exercise all remedies available against illegal distribution 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,” it added.
The statement came after parliamentary furore last week, when Gandhi attempted to quote from the unpublished memoir, titled ‘Four Stars of Destiny’, in which – the Congress leader said – the former Army chief had accused the country’s leadership of indecision and failing to give clear instructions during the 2020 India-China standoff.
On Monday, Delhi Police said it took cognizance of reports and social media posts, and registered a first information report (FIR) to investigate alleged online circulation of the unpublished memoir.
Gandhi, who alleged that he was prevented from speaking in Lok Sabha, was photographed outside Parliament waving a hard-bound copy of Naravane’s book. The memoir needs clearance from the Indian Army before it can be published.
Rahul Gandhi needs to be in jail for procuring an illegal copy of the book.