At the center of the confusion is a message from General Naravane, dated December 15, 2023, and a clarification by Penguin India, the book’s publisher, issued on Monday. “Hello friends. My book is now available. Just follow the link. Enjoy reading. Jai Hind,” General Naravane tweeted. His tweet accompanied Penguin India’s post with an Amazon pre-order link for the book.
The book chronicles his career and provides rare insight into military leadership, including during key operations such as the border standoff with China. It was supposed to be released in 2024, but the launch was halted.
However, two years later, unauthorized copies of the book began circulating online, and a bound copy ended up in the hands of the Leader of the Opposition. After India Today contacted the publisher, Penguin clarified that the book had not yet been officially released.
“The book has not yet been published. No print or digital copy has been released. Any copy in circulation is a copyright violation,” Penguin said in a statement. Later, General Naravane also retweeted Penguin’s statement.
However, Gandhi has maintained that since General Naravane himself said the book was “available”, his version should be believed. “Either Naravane is lying or it is Penguin who is lying. I don’t think the former army chief will lie,” Gandhi said.
The congressman appears to have treated the 2023 pre-order phase as proof that the book has already been printed. In practice, however, pre-orders only indicate an offer and not the actual printing. If approval is not given, the printing of a book can be stopped, as in the case of Naravane’s book.
The Delhi Police FIR stated that a pre-print version of the book appeared to have been leaked as PDFs of the manuscript were widely shared on WhatsApp and social media.
HOW DOES THE PUBLISHING PROCESS WORK?
To understand the controversy, we must look at the process before a book is published.
Typically, an author submits a manuscript, which the publisher then edits and designs. Then a cover is made and an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is obtained (we will explain this later).
After this, the book will be listed on online marketplaces for pre-orders. It is then that the actual printing takes place. If obstacles arise, such as legal issues, the listing may be withdrawn. Pre-order payments are also refundable. This is the stage where Naravane’s book gets stuck.
WHAT IS AN ISBN?
Simply put, an ISBN is a 13-digit unique identification number for a book issued to the publisher by a national agency.
It is usually obtained after editing of a book is completed and before it is printed. Once an ISBN has been assigned, a book can be advertised and listed online. However, this does not mean that the book has been printed or released.
As evident from the Amazon listing, Naravane’s ‘Four Stars of Destiny’ received its ISBN – 9780670099757 – as early as 2023.
WHAT DOES PRE-ORDER ACTUALLY MEAN?
A pre-order offer does not mean that a book has been printed or is available in the marketplace. Several books are listed months or even a year in advance.
If a book’s publication is postponed or canceled, the listing will be removed and customers will receive a refund. The former army chief’s book was available for pre-order in 2023, but the listing was later withdrawn.
WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR PUBLISHING BOOKS BY MILITARY OFFICERS?
There are strict rules for military officers before they can publish a book.
Commissioned officers require prior permission from the Center to publish books under the Army Rules, 1954 (section 21). However, this rule does not apply to retired officers. But the 1923 Official Secrets Act, which bans the disclosure of sensitive details, applies to military officers for life.
Changes to pension rules in 2021 will require retired security personnel to seek permission before publication. Although the military is not explicitly involved, it is standard practice for officers, such as former military leaders, to submit manuscripts to the Defense Department for review. Penguin forwarded Naravane’s manuscript for approval, which has been pending since 2024.
WHAT ARE THE CHANCES THAT THE BOOK HAS BEEN PUBLISHED?
Very slim. This is because Penguin, as publisher, would have to bear the financial and legal risk if the book were printed without permission.
In 2023, Naravane only announced the book’s availability for pre-order. On Monday, Penguin clearly stated that the book never reached the publishing stage. The leaked version appears to be a pre-print.
WHERE RAHUL GANDHI’S ARGUMENT FALLS FLAT?
Gandhi relied on an old tweet from 2023 and took it as conclusive evidence. In publishing terms, ‘available’, as stated by Naravane in his 2023 post, refers to pre-order availability, and not physical publication.
Actual availability is only taken into account when a printed book comes onto the market. The government has maintained that the manuscript contained sensitive references such as the Galwan clash, which killed 20 Indian soldiers and required permission. The Congress MP has framed the issue as the suppression of truth.
For now, General Naravane’s ‘Four Stars of Destiny’ remains unpublished.
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