"Dragged decorated Army officer into his cheap politics": BJP slams Rahul Gandhi over Naravane book row

New Delhi [India], February 11 (ANI): Amid the heated political debate surrounding the unpublished book of former Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane, Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday slammed Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of dragging a decorated Army officer into his "cheap politics" and making false claims about the publishing status of the book.
In a post on X, BJP stated that Naravane and Penguin Publishing House have refuted the claims made by Gandhi, adding that such behaviour has been showcased by him "time and again" and questioning his LoP status.
"Rahul Gandhi not only lowered the dignity of Parliament, but also dragged a decorated Army officer into his cheap politics. Despite the book not being published, he chose to raise a sensitive national security issue inside the Parliament. When confronted, he falsely claimed that the book had already been published and misrepresented facts," the party said.
"Now, former Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane and Penguin Publishers have clarified that the book has not been published. This is not an isolated incident. Time and again, he has misled the nation by presenting distorted facts. With such conduct, the nation is left wondering whether he truly deserves to hold the position of Leader of the Opposition," the post continued.
The controversy started when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi quoted excerpts from the book in Parliament, claiming it was available, citing a 2023 social media post by Naravane. The Speaker passed a ruling, asking the LoP not to quote unpublished literature.
Rahul Gandhi cited General MM Naravane's 2023 X post and claimed that the memoir was available for sale online.
"Hello friends, my book is available now. Just follow the link. Happy Reading, Jai Hind. This is the tweet Mr Naravane made. Either he is lying, which I don't believe, or the Penguin (publisher) is lying. Both cannot be telling the truth. Penguin says the book has not been published. But the book is available on Amazon. Gen. Naravane has tweeted, "Please buy my book" in 2023. I believe Naravane ji over Penguin. Do you believe Penguin over Naravane ji? I believe Naravane ji has made certain statements in his book which are inconvenient for the Government of India and the Prime Minister. Obviously, you have to decide if Penguin or the former Army chief is telling the truth," the Congress MP said.
Penguin Random House India issued a fresh statement earlier today in response to an allegation by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, clarifying that the book was announced and listed for pre-order but hasn't yet entered publication, distribution, or sale. Any circulating copies are unauthorised and constitute copyright infringement.
"A book is considered published only when it is available for purchase across retail channels," Penguin Random House said in a statement that it posted on its social media platforms."Pre-order is a standard publishing practice. It allows readers and retailers to place advance orders. The book is not yet published or available," it said.
The publisher said, "An announced book, a book available for pre-order, and a published book are not the same thing," and added that it remains "committed to clarity and transparency in the books we publish."
Former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane also confirmed that his memoir, "Four Stars of Destiny", has not yet been published, backing Penguin Random House India's statement by supporting the statement from Penguin. (ANI)