What actually happened was that the Leader of the Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, at the beginning of his speech, said that he wanted to talk about the conflict with China through excerpts from the unpublished book of former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane. However, the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju questioned how Rahul Gandhi could refer to a book in the house which has not yet been published.? And what evidence would he provide for its verification?
Following this, a debate erupted in the Lok Sabha regarding rules and regulations. The proceedings of the House were first adjourned until 3 pm but the uproar continued when the proceedings resumed at 3 pm. The proceedings were then adjourned for another hour, until 4 pm. Finally, when the issue could not be resolved even at 4 pm, the House was adjourned until February 3rd.
So, the question on everyone’s mind is, what exactly is this unpublished book written by former Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane that is causing so much controversy…? Which part of it was Rahul Gandhi trying to read in Parliament? What exactly is this book by Naravane, about which conflicting information is circulating publicly? Caravan magazine recently published an article on it, and before that, the news agency PTI had also released excerpts from the book.
The book is the autobiography of former Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane, titled ‘Four Stars of Destiny’, which was to be published by Penguin Random House. The book was supposed to be released in 2024. In it, General Naravane recounts the tensions between India and China that began in June 2020 and the entire sequence of events. The news agency PTI mentioned excerpts from the book in December 2023, shortly before its scheduled publication date. However, a few days later, it emerged that the Indian Army was reviewing the book before its publication. Such approval is mandatory before the publication of any book or document by a military officer/personnel or related to military affairs.
The excerpts from General Naravane’s book , published by PTI, mentioned the presence of Chinese troops and tanks at the Rechin La mountain pass on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. These excerpts stated that during these Chinese activities, MM Naravane contacted Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat over the phone regarding the tense situation between the Indian and Chinese armies. However, he was not receiving clear instructions on what to do.
The published excerpts quoted General Naravane as saying that after his phone conversation with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, many different thoughts were running through his mind. Naravane wrote that he informed the Defence Minister about the seriousness of the situation. He also said that he had spoken to the PM (Narendra Modi) at that time. The PM had told him that it was entirely a military decision, “do whatever you deem appropriate.” He also said that he had been given the responsibility of making a tough decision with complete freedom to act as he saw fit. Recalling that day, he wrote that he took a deep breath and sat quietly for a few minutes. Everything was silent except for the ticking of the wall clock.
He wrote that he was in Army House, with a map of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on one wall, and a map of the Eastern Command on the other. They were unmarked maps, but as soon as he looked at them, he could visualize the location of each unit. We were prepared in every way, but did I really want to start a war? This question was on his mind. In ‘Four Stars of Destiny’, General Naravane recounts the thoughts that crossed his mind regarding the events of that night.
Caravan magazine has published a detailed article titled “Naravane’s Moment of Truth,” quoting from an unpublished typescript. It highlights a crucial moment in August 2020, when the PM reportedly told Naravane to “do whatever you think is right” regarding the Chinese tanks, placing the entire burden of a potential war decision on the General.
General Manoj Mukund Naravane served as the 28th Chief of Army Staff from December 31, 2019, to April 30, 2022. He led the army during the border clashes with China, including the Galwan Valley clash.
