New Delhi: Former Army chief General M.M. Naravane has backed publisher Penguin Random House India (PRHI) amid a political controversy over his memoir, asserting that the book has not yet been published.

In a post on X, Naravane said, “This is the status of the book,” while sharing an earlier clarification issued by publisher Penguin Random House India.

The clarification comes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cited a December 2023 social media post by Gen Naravane stating that his book was “available now” to counter the publisher’s position that the memoir remains unpublished.

Responding to the row, Penguin Random House India said that an announcement about a book or its availability for pre-order should not be interpreted as publication. “A book available for pre-order and a published book are not the same thing,” the publisher said.

The controversy erupted in the Lok Sabha on February 2 when Rahul Gandhi attempted to quote from what he described as Gen Naravane’s memoir on the 2020 India-China military standoff. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP members objected strongly, accusing the Congress leader of misleading the House by referring to an unpublished book.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla disallowed Gandhi from raising the issue, but the Opposition persisted, leading to repeated adjournments amid heated exchanges between treasury and opposition benches.

What did the publishers say?

In its statement under the heading "A quick guide to how book publishing works at Penguin Random House India", the publisher said on Tuesday, "An announced book, a book available for pre-order, and a published book are not the same thing."

It is further explained in stipulated points that when a book is announced, it only indicates that the publisher has shared plans to publish it in the future and that the title is not yet available for sale.

Similarly, listing a book for pre-order is a standard publishing practice that allows readers and retailers to place advance orders before release, it said, adding that such listings do not mean the book has been "published or available".

The publisher also said that a scheduled publication date simply indicates a planned release timeline and does not mean the book is already available in the market.

"A book is published only when it is available at retail channels for purchase," the statement said, adding that the publishing house remains committed to clarity and transparency in its publishing processes.

PRHI had initially said that no copies of the book "in print or digital form -- have been published, distributed, sold".