Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday waved the book by former Army chief General MM Naravane in the Lok Sabha, alleging Prime Minister Narendra Modi shirked responsibility during the 2020 India-China standoff in eastern Ladakh.

Displaying the book inside Parliament, Gandhi claimed Modi had instructed Naravane with the words "jo uchit samjho woh karo" (do whatever you deem appropriate), leaving the Army chief feeling "really alone". "This is Naravane ji's book, in which he has written the account of Ladakh. Narendra Modi ji did not fulfil his responsibility," Rahul said, quoting directly from the text.

He accused the government of denial, noting that Speaker Om Birla and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had previously claimed the book did not exist. "This is what they are scared of me saying," he added, charging attempts to suppress the account.

He challenged Modi to visit the Lok Sabha, vowing to personally hand over a copy of the book.

The 'Hot Potato' Revelation

The controversy centers on General Naravane's account of the escalating tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in August 2020. According to excerpts previously reported, Naravane describes a high-stakes interaction with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The Minister reportedly told the then-Army Chief that the Prime Minister had deemed the situation a "purely military decision," allegedly tellling Naravane, "Jo ucchit samjho woh karo" (Do whatever you deem appropriate).

"I had been handed a hot potato," Naravane writes in the memoir. "With this carte blanche, the onus was now totally on me."

A Memoir Under 'Review'

General Naravane's book, originally slated for a January 2024 release by Penguin, has been stalled for over a year. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Indian Army requested a pre-publication review to ensure no sensitive operational details regarding the 2020 LAC standoff or the Agnipath recruitment scheme were compromised.

As per the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, military officials are required to obtain prior clearance for publishing content related to national security or secret operations. Failure to comply can result in legal action or the withholding of pensions.

In October 2025, General Naravane clarified his stance, stating, "The ball is in the publisher's and the MoD's court. It is for the MoD to give permission as and when they deem fit."

The political wrangling within the Parliament brings back into sharp focus the events of June 2020, where 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a violent clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley. While a series of disengagement agreements have led to a "thaw" in certain pockets, high-level military forward deployment persists on both sides of the border.