Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday stated that the Henderson Brooks-Bhagat Commission report, which indicted the Nehru government for the disgraceful defeat inflicted by the Chinese People's Liberation Army, has remained confidential since 1962.
In a post on X, Kiren Rijiju wrote, “Our govt is led by a matured leader. Since 1962, Henderson Brooks-Bhagat Commission report has remained secret. It indicted Nehru Govt for the humiliating defeat at the hands of Chinese PLA. Our Govt has never declassified it as defence matter can't be used as political tools."
Rijiju also shared his post from November 1, 2024, in which he highlighted India’s border infrastructure development. The post read, “After talking to Chinese soldiers and seeing the infrastructures, everyone will feel proud of India's border development now. Celebrated Diwali at Bumla with our Army Jawans in Arunachal Pradesh."
The Henderson Brooks-Bhagat report, prepared by Lieutenant General Henderson Brooks and Brigadier General Premindra Singh Bhagat, was commissioned by then Acting Army Chief General J.N. Chaudhuri to review the Indian Army’s operations during the 1962 war. The document remains classified to date.
Rijiju’s remarks come amid ongoing political tensions in Parliament after the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, was stopped from quoting the “unpublished memoir” of former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane during the motion of thanks on the President’s Address in the Lok Sabha.
The issue has sparked a political row, bringing Parliament proceedings to a standstill. Gandhi was repeatedly interrupted as he tried to read excerpts from the book in the House during a debate on Monday. He later said the memoir claimed that as Chinese tanks advanced at Indian positions, Naravane was told “to do what he deemed appropriate”.
India and China clashed along their disputed Himalayan border in the summer of 2020 in the Galwan River valley in Ladakh, marking their first fatal confrontation since 1975. The political tensions also arose after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that he advised the Prime Minister not to come to the House as he had concrete information about Congress MPs’ unforeseen protests.
For the first time in 22 years, the Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Motion of Thanks on the President's address without the customary reply by the Prime Minister. In Parliament on Monday, Gandhi’s comments about Naravane’s memoir were interrupted by members of the BJP, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah, who accused him of violating parliamentary rules by quoting from an unpublished book and misleading the House.
The Defence Minister said, “Rahul Gandhi should present before the House the book he is quoting from, because the book he is referring to has not been published”. The disruptions continued on Tuesday, when Gandhi attempted to raise the issue again in the House.
He was stopped again, sparking protests from opposition leaders. Eight Congress MPs were later suspended for disorderly conduct. On Wednesday, Gandhi held up a copy of the unpublished book to reporters outside Parliament, saying Singh’s statement that the book did not exist was untrue.
Naravane served as India’s Army Chief from 2019 to 2022. His memoir, which reportedly covers his personal life and career, was expected to be published in 2024 but has been delayed amid reports that it contains sensitive operational details of the military standoff.