'Shifting not punishment but part of PM Modi’s vision': Kiren Rijiju after losing law ministry
Arjun Ram Meghwal replaced Kiren Rijiju as Union Law Minister on Thursday. On Friday, Rijiju was sworn in as Minister of Earth Sciences.
- May 19, 2023,
- Updated May 19, 2023 3:02 PM IST
Kiren Rijiju, who was removed as Union law minister on May 18 after less than a two-year stint, termed his replacement as a ‘routine process’ and also mentioned that this is not a punishment but a part of the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"This shifting is a routine process. It's the Prime Minister's vision. Somebody has to take the responsibility. There hasn't been any mistake. It's the opposition's duty to speak against me, let them speak," Rijiju clarified saying that one shouldn’t do politics with it.
Rijiju spoke to the media shortly after taking over as Minister of Earth Sciences on Friday at 11am at the Prithvi Bhavan on Lodhi Road in the national capital.
On Thursday, as part of a major Cabinet reshuffle, Arjun Ram Meghwal replaced Kiren Rijiju as the Union and Justice Minister. Rijiju took over as the Law and Justice Minister on July 8, 2021. He had served as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Youth Affairs and Sports from May 2019 to July 2021.
As the Union law minister, Rijiju took on the judiciary on several issues, including the collegium system of appointing Supreme Court and high court judges and described it as being "alien" to the Constitution. This eventually created a fight between the Judiciary and the executive over the appointment of judges.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore described Rijiju as a "failed law minister" while veteran lawyer and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said it was not easy to understand the science behind the laws. "The failed law minister moves… In Earth Science what he can do? Hope Arjun Ram Meghwal acts in a dignified manner as law minister," Tagore said in a tweet. Sibal, a former law minister, said, "Not law, now Minister for Earth Sciences. It is not easy to understand the science behind the laws. Now (he) will try to grapple with the laws of science. Good luck my friend!"
Meanwhile, the appointment of Meghwal, a Dalit face of the BJP from Rajasthan, also comes ahead of the assembly elections in the state slated for later this year. A brief communique of Rashtrapati Bhavan said President Droupadi Murmu, as advised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has reallocated portfolios among ministers in the Union Council of Ministers.
Also Read: Six entities took short positions on Adani stocks ahead of Hindenburg report: SC panel
Kiren Rijiju, who was removed as Union law minister on May 18 after less than a two-year stint, termed his replacement as a ‘routine process’ and also mentioned that this is not a punishment but a part of the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"This shifting is a routine process. It's the Prime Minister's vision. Somebody has to take the responsibility. There hasn't been any mistake. It's the opposition's duty to speak against me, let them speak," Rijiju clarified saying that one shouldn’t do politics with it.
Rijiju spoke to the media shortly after taking over as Minister of Earth Sciences on Friday at 11am at the Prithvi Bhavan on Lodhi Road in the national capital.
On Thursday, as part of a major Cabinet reshuffle, Arjun Ram Meghwal replaced Kiren Rijiju as the Union and Justice Minister. Rijiju took over as the Law and Justice Minister on July 8, 2021. He had served as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Youth Affairs and Sports from May 2019 to July 2021.
As the Union law minister, Rijiju took on the judiciary on several issues, including the collegium system of appointing Supreme Court and high court judges and described it as being "alien" to the Constitution. This eventually created a fight between the Judiciary and the executive over the appointment of judges.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore described Rijiju as a "failed law minister" while veteran lawyer and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said it was not easy to understand the science behind the laws. "The failed law minister moves… In Earth Science what he can do? Hope Arjun Ram Meghwal acts in a dignified manner as law minister," Tagore said in a tweet. Sibal, a former law minister, said, "Not law, now Minister for Earth Sciences. It is not easy to understand the science behind the laws. Now (he) will try to grapple with the laws of science. Good luck my friend!"
Meanwhile, the appointment of Meghwal, a Dalit face of the BJP from Rajasthan, also comes ahead of the assembly elections in the state slated for later this year. A brief communique of Rashtrapati Bhavan said President Droupadi Murmu, as advised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has reallocated portfolios among ministers in the Union Council of Ministers.
Also Read: Six entities took short positions on Adani stocks ahead of Hindenburg report: SC panel