‘Failed Law Minister’: Opposition’s Jibe After Kiren Rijiju Moved Out of Law Ministry
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 18th May. Opposition parties, including the Congress, took a jibe at Kiren Rijiju, who was moved from the law ministry to the lower-profile Ministry of Earth Sciences on Thursday, calling him a “failed law minister.”
Kiren Rijiju was suddenly moved out of the Law Ministry and replaced by Arjun Ram Meghwal. According to a brief statement issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Droupadi Murmu, on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has reassigned portfolios among Union Council of Ministers members.
“The portfolio of (the) Ministry of Earth Sciences be assigned to Shri Kiren Rijiju,” it said.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore described Rijiju as a “failed law minister,” while prominent lawyer and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal claimed it was difficult to understand the science behind the law.
“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 (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi dwelt on the possible reasons behind Rijiju being moved to the Ministry of Earth Sciences, wondering if the recent Supreme Court judgment on Maharashtra was a cause.
“Is it because of the Maharashtra judgement embarrassment? Or the Modani-SEBI investigation?” Chaturvedi asked in a tweet.
The Supreme Court said in a unanimous decision on a batch of petitions related to the political crisis that led to the fall of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra in 2022 after a revolt by a Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde, that communication expressing discontent among some MLAs is insufficient for the governor to call for a floor test.
During the hearing on May 11, the Supreme Court ruled that the governor could not enter the political arena and that the floor test could not be used to settle internal party conflicts.
However, the Supreme Court ruled that then-governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was right in asking Shinde to form the cabinet because Thackeray resigned before the floor test.
On July 7, 2021, Rijiju was named law minister. Following the resignation of senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, he was given the coveted post.
