Government mulls 20-year cooling-off period for ex-officials before publishing books
What's the story
The Indian government is contemplating a 20-year cooling-off period for former senior officials, including military officers, before they can publish books after retirement. This decision comes in the wake of a political storm over retired army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane's unpublished memoir Four Stars of Destiny, according to anonymous officials quoted by Hindustan Times. The book's content has sparked controversy in Parliament over the past two weeks.
Meeting discussions
Several ministers back idea of cooling-off period
In a Union cabinet meeting on Friday, several ministers supported the idea of a cooling-off period before retired officials could publish books. A formal order regarding this 20-year cooling-off period is expected to be issued soon, according to the report. This matter was not part of the official agenda but came up during general discussions, the sources were quoted as saying.
Political backlash
Naravane's book sparks controversy in Parliament
The controversy over Naravane's manuscript first erupted on February 2 when the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, tried to refer to events mentioned in the memoir. The government objected as the book had not published. Later, Gandhi brought a copy of the book to Parliament to prove its existence, and soon after, a PDF of the book went viral online.
Copyright infringement
Publisher warns illegal copies must be stopped immediately
The publisher, Penguin Random House India, issued a statement warning that any copies of the book in circulation violate its copyright and must be stopped immediately. The Delhi Police also filed an FIR into the alleged illegal circulation of the manuscript. On Tuesday, Naravane endorsed his publisher's stand, stating no copies of his memoir were published or made available to the public.
Content controversy
Memoir's content under scrutiny
The memoir's content, particularly an account of events on the Kailash range on August 31, 2020, has drawn scrutiny. The book was scheduled for publication in January 2024, but an excerpt published by Press Trust of India in December 2023 sparked controversy with regard to the Agniveer scheme. The Defence Ministry then asked Naravane and his publisher to seek clearance from the army before proceeding with publishing.