Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarian Arjun Ram Meghwal was appointed India's new Law Minister on Thursday. He replaces Kiren Rijiju, who has been assigned the portfolio of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Rijiju, 69, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, was serving as Minister of Law and Justice since 2021 in the Narendra Modi-led federal government.
The decision came following a cabinet rejig, as shared by the President of India's Secretariat.
“Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State be assigned the independent charge as Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice in addition to his existing portfolios, in place of Kiren Rijiju,” read a press release from the President Secretariat.
Meghwal is currently serving as the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and the Minister of State for Culture.
Some opposition politicians have taken a dig at the federal government over the rejig.
Without naming any names, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) politician Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted “Is it because of the Maharashtra judgment embarrassment? Or the Modani- SEBI investigation?”
Meanwhile, Kapil Sibal, a member of Rajya Sabha (Upper House of the Parliament), said: “Kiren Rijiju: Not Law, Now Minister for Earth Sciences, Not easy to understand the science behind the Laws, Now will try to grapple with the laws of science. Good luck my friend!”
Rijiju is a Member of the Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Parliament) who has represented the Arunachal West constituency since 2014 and from 2004 to 2009.
He was taken to task by various opposition politicians for his remark about “some retired judges” being “part of the anti-India gang” as they said that he was “talking like an outlaw” and “propagating injustice.”
In January, Rijiju had written a letter to the Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud, “suggesting” the inclusion of a government nominee in the decision-making process for shortlisting of judge.
This came amid a tussle between the Supreme Court of India and the federal government over the delay in the appointment of judges.