New Delhi: Amid a row over former Army chief Manoj Mukund Naravane’s unpublished memoir ‘Four Stars of Destiny’, the Centre is reportedly looking to introduce new guidelines for serving and retired officers of the armed forces, seeking to write and publish books.
According to reports published in Hindustan Times, the centre is considering introduction 20 years cooling off period under new guidelines for serving and retired officials to write or publish books. The issue was recently discussed in the Union Cabinet meeting.
Suggestion for a cooling-off period
During the meeting, several ministers reportedly supported the cooling-off period for several officials, including ex-servicemen, who are looking to write books on sensitive subjects. The matter can soon be announced by the Centre.
The report has come amid controversy over Naravane’s unpublished book, ‘Four Stars of Destiny’. The controversy surround on the portion of his book when he talks about the India-China military standoff in eastern Ladakh in August 2020. In the portion of the book, he talks about the lack of decision taken by the political leadership when he had called for guidance.
What led to controversy?
The matter snowballed into a huge controversy in the political tug of war, with the Opposition parties accusing the Government of inaction in the 2020 incident. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, even brought the book to the Parliament premises. Speaking to reporters, he had also urged PM Modi to clear the matter.
According to The Hindu, the Ministry of Defence is also planning to introduce separate guidelines for serving or retired servicemen. The new guidelines is likely to be introduced under the provisions of the Official Secrets Act (OSA). Under this act, it is a crime to disclose declassified information.