Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju disclosed that the Henderson Brooks-Bhagat Commission report, blaming the Nehru government for the 1962 Chinese invasion, has been kept confidential for nearly six decades. The report, authored by Lieutenant General Henderson Brooks and Brigadier General Premindra Singh Bhagat, was tasked with reviewing India’s military actions during the war but remains classified.
Rijiju emphasized the government’s decision to withhold the report, citing defense matters should not be politicized. He also highlighted India’s recent border infrastructure progress, expressing pride in the nation’s development efforts. The revelation comes amidst political turmoil in Parliament following Rahul Gandhi’s attempt to reference an unpublished memoir by former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane.
The tensions escalated when Gandhi was obstructed from quoting the memoir during a parliamentary session, leading to disruptions and subsequent suspension of Congress MPs. The controversy stems from differing accounts of the 1962 war and recent border clashes between India and China in Ladakh. The political discord further intensified as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla advised the Prime Minister to avoid the House due to anticipated protests by Congress MPs.
