India, Feb. 10 -- In his first reaction since the controversy regarding his unpublished memoir, former army chief MM Naravane has endorsed the position of the book's publisher Penguin.

Publisher Penguin Random House India (PRHI) earlier today said the announcement regarding a book or its availability for pre-order is not the same as publication.

This came after the publisher, in a statement on Monday, said that it holds the sole publishing rights for Naravane's memoir, adding that the book has not gone into publication and no copies have been published, distributed or sold.

Penguin further urged the halting of the circulation of any copies of the book, whether in digital or print, and said that it would constitute an infringement of th...