Not abandoned by government during 2020 LAC standoff, says ex-army chief Naravane after book row

NEW DELHI: After the controversy surrounding his unpublished memoir ‘Four Stars of Destiny’, former Army chief General MM Naravane (Retd) has told news channels in separate interviews that it was “totally unfair to drag me and the armed forces into politics” by using an unpublished book to score points and asserted that he had not been abandoned by govt at the height of the 2020 LAC standoff with China.

He spoke candidly about the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, brandishing a copy of his unpublished memoir in Parliament to attack the Modi government over the issue.



Naravane, who has written a new book, ‘The Curious and the Classified: Unearthing Military Myths and Mysteries’, said he had the government’s full backing and authority to open fire on Chinese soldiers if the situation so warranted during the LAC standoff with China.

“The person at the helm is always alone, whether it’s a CEO or the leader of a country. But that does not mean you have been abandoned. The whole country is behind you, your whole army is with you,” Gen Naravane (Retd) told one news channel.

The remarks came a few months after Rahul tried to slam the government by citing extracts from Naravane’s unpublished book in which the retired general alleged that PM (through the defence minister) had told him, ‘jo uchit samjho wo karo’ (do what you think is right), then he sought orders from the government during a faceoff with Chinese soldiers on Rechin La pass.

There was nothing in the book that warranted the fuss, the former Army chief added.

In his new book, Gen Naravane “pulls aside the still-drawn curtains on some of the most riveting and compelling arcana that colour the legends and lore of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force,” his publisher Rupa Publications announced on Wednesday.
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