‘Honor, honour’ to serve as law minister: Kiren Rijiju thanks CJI after cabinet reshuffle

New Delhi: Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said it is a ‘fortune’ to serve as Union Minister of Law and Justice and thanked the entire judiciary, including Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, for their ‘overwhelming support’. Hours after being dropped from the Department of Law and Justice and made Earth Sciences Minister, Rijiju said on his official Twitter that he now looks forward to fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision in the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Kiren Rijiju said, “It is a privilege and an honor for me to serve as the Union Minister of Law and Justice under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji.”

He thanked CJI Chandrachud, all judges of the Supreme Court, chief justices and judges of high courts, lower judiciary and law officers for their ‘overwhelming support’ in ensuring ease of access to justice and providing legal services to citizens.

“I look forward to fulfilling PM Narendra Modi ji’s vision in the Ministry of Earth Sciences with the same zeal and enthusiasm that I have imbibed as a humble ‘karyakarta’ of the BJP,” he said.

It has been a privilege and an honor to serve as the Union Minister of Law and Justice under the guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri. @Narendra Modi Yes. I would like to thank the Honorable Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, all the Judges of the Supreme Court, Chief Justices and Judges of High Courts, Lower… pic.twitter.com/CSCT8Pzn1q— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) May 18, 2023

In a sudden development, Rijiju, who was named as Law Minister in July 2021, was moved out of the ministry and replaced by Arjun Ram Meghwal on Thursday. He was the Minister of Sports and Minister of State for Minority Affairs before taking charge as Law Minister and received the coveted portfolio following the resignation of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravi Shankar Prasad.

A brief release from Rashtrapati Bhavan said that on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Draupadi Murmu has reallocated portfolios among the ministers of the Union Council of Ministers.

Meghwal is currently the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and the Minister of State for Culture. According to the release, he has been assigned independent charge as Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice in addition to his existing portfolios.

Rijiju will take over from Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who was holding the charge of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Kiren Rijiju was critical of the collegium system of appointing SC, HC judges

As Law Minister, Kiren Rijiju, a three-time Lok Sabha member from Arunachal Pradesh, was one of the most vocal in the government in criticizing the collegium system of appointment of Supreme Court and High Court judges, calling it ‘alien’ to the Constitution . ,

His recent remarks on some retired judges being part of the anti-India gang had evoked strong reactions.

He had claimed that some retired judges and some activists who are part of the ‘anti-India gang’ were trying to make the Indian judiciary play the role of the opposition party.