A fierce political storm is brewing in New Delhi over former Army Chief General MM Naravane’s unpublished book. Opposition heavyweights are united in demanding an immediate parliamentary debate, accusing the BJP-led government of suppressing vital information and orchestrating a police crackdown to silence dissent.
The trigger: Delhi Police’s FIR against the circulation of the manuscript’s drafts. RJD’s Manoj Jha dismissed blame on the police, attributing it to top-down directives. He referenced a Penguin House notice and noted a page already published in a magazine, freely available as a PDF. ‘The government is completely exposed and vulnerable,’ Jha declared.
SP MP Rajiv Ray reframed the controversy: Forget who printed it—the real question is those damning ‘four lines’ that terrify the establishment. ‘If there’s no substance, why evade Parliament?’ he challenged, calling out the government’s evasion as unbecoming.
From the Congress camp, Mallu Ravi pointed to BJP pressures behind the FIR, while Karti Chidambaram demystified book publishing. Manuscripts circulate widely for endorsements and reviews, he explained, and in the social media era, a post is publication enough. Labeling it agency overreach, Chidambaram warned of a pattern under this government.
Congress’s JB Mather rallied behind the party’s women MPs, vowing they won’t be cowed by letters from ruling benches. This escalating row underscores broader concerns over transparency and free speech in Indian politics. As demands mount, the book—rumored to touch on sensitive military and national security matters—looms large. Observers predict it could derail legislative business unless addressed head-on.