By: The Trek News Desk
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, sparked a major political confrontation after displaying what he described as an unpublished book authored by former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane within the Parliament premises. Gandhi said he would personally hand over a copy of the book, titled Four Stars of Destiny, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi if the Prime Minister attends the Lok Sabha.
Addressing the media, Gandhi claimed the contents of the book shed light on key decisions taken during the India-China military standoff in eastern Ladakh in 2020, challenging the government’s official narrative. The issue led to continuous sloganeering by Opposition MPs, forcing repeated adjournments of the Lok Sabha throughout the day.
According to Gandhi, the unpublished memoir details high-level decision-making during the border confrontation, including exchanges between the then Army Chief, the defence minister, and the Prime Minister. Questioning the government’s denial of the book’s existence, he said authorities, including the Speaker and senior ministers, had insisted that such a book does not exist, while simultaneously barring him from referring to it in the House.
Accusing the Prime Minister of failing to uphold his responsibilities, Gandhi alleged that General Naravane had written about feeling isolated during the crisis and abandoned by the wider establishment. He further remarked that the Prime Minister was unlikely to appear in the Lok Sabha, adding that if Modi did come, he would personally deliver the book so the “truth” could be known to the nation.
Amid the repeated disruptions in the Lower House, Rahul Gandhi and several Congress MPs staged a protest in the Parliament complex, holding placards reading “PM is compromised.” The demonstration included lawmakers who had been suspended a day earlier for what was termed “unruly conduct” during the Budget Session.
During the protest, a sharp verbal altercation broke out between Gandhi and Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu. Gandhi mocked Bittu by calling him a “traitor,” a remark linked to Bittu’s decision to leave the Congress and join the BJP in 2024. Gandhi also sarcastically offered to shake hands, suggesting that Bittu would eventually return to the Congress.
Bittu declined the gesture and hit back by calling Rahul Gandhi an “enemy of the nation,” escalating the confrontation.
The political standoff traces back to Gandhi’s insistence on quoting excerpts related to the 2020 China border tensions from the alleged unpublished book. Portions of these excerpts were reportedly carried by a magazine. The matter brought Lok Sabha proceedings to a standstill on Monday, February 2, 2026, during discussions on the motion of thanks to the President’s address.
Senior ministers, including Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, urged the Speaker to disallow references to the book because it remains unpublished. Subsequently, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla invoked Rule 349(i), ruling that no book or article can be cited in the House unless it is directly connected to official parliamentary business.
Source: News Agencies
