NEW DELHI, 18 May: In a sudden development, Kiren Rijiju was moved out of the law ministry and replaced by Arjun Ram Meghwal on Thursday.
As law minister, Rijiju had been the most vocal in the government in criticising the collegium system of appointing Supreme Court and high court judges and described it as being “alien” to the Constitution.
His recent remarks on some retired judges being part of an anti-India gang had evoked strong reactions.
He had claimed that “a few retired judges and some activists who are part of the anti-India gang” were trying to make the Indian judiciary play the role of opposition party.
Rijiju was named as law minister on 7 July, 2021.
The sports minister and the MoS for minority affairs at that time, Rijiju had got the coveted portfolio following the resignation of senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad.
A brief communiqu?© from the Rashtrapati Bhavan said that President Droupadi Murmu, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s advice, has reallocated portfolios among ministers in the union council of ministers.
“The portfolio of (the) ministry of earth sciences be assigned to Kiren Rijiju,” it said.
Meghwal is currently the MoS for parliamentary affairs and the MoS for culture. He has been assigned independent charge as MoS in the law & justice ministry, in addition to his existing portfolios, according to the communiqu?©.
Rijiju will take over from union minister Jitendra Singh, who was holding charge of the earth sciences ministry.
‘Failed law minister’: Oppn
Opposition parties, including the Congress, took a swipe at Rijiju, who has been moved to the relatively lower profile of earth sciences ministry, and called him a “failed law minister.”
Congress MP Manickam Tagore described Rijiju, who was routinely vocal against the collegium system of judicial appointments, as a “failed law minister,” while veteran lawyer and Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal said it is 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!”
Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi dwelt on the possible reasons behind Rijiju being moved to the earth sciences ministry, wondering if the recent Supreme Court judgment on Maharashtra was a cause.
“Is it because of the Maharashtra judgment embarrassment? Or the Modani-SEBI investigation?” Chaturvedi asked in a tweet. (PTI)
