Kiren Rijiju was abruptly removed from the law ministry on Thursday and replaced by Arjun Ram Meghwal. As law minister, Rijiju was the most outspoken in the government in criticizing the collegium system for appointing Supreme Court and High Court judges, calling it “alien” to the Constitution.
This sudden move came after a difference of opinion between the former law minister and the judiciary, which created a conflict over the issue of names recommended by the Supreme Court collegium for the appointing of the judges of the High Court.
Several opposition leaders have stated that they welcome Kiren Rijiju’s removal because of his differences of opinion and his criticism of judges, both of which are unacceptable.
Congress leader Ashwini Joshi told Afternoon Voice, “These changes are indications of working performance, and after losing the Karnataka polls, they have changed their working strategy for the upcoming polls”.
CPI (M-L) MLA Mahboob Alam said, “He has made numerous comments regarding the judiciary that were not acceptable to the ruling government. This process of reshuffle seems to indicate that they are scared after the defeat seen in Karnataka, but more than democracy, it is autocracy that is followed by the ruling government”.
Senior Congress leader Ratnakar Mahajan said, “It appears that Kiren Rijiju being divisive with the judiciary was not right as he always criticized the judges, which has created a negative opinion in front of everyone. As long as Modi and Shah rule, the changing designations will have little impact on governance.”
“Kiren Rijiju was an irresponsible person, and his statements used towards the judiciary were not in favor of anyone, which led to such changes,” AAP leader Dhananjay Shinde said. When it comes to the BJP or the ruling government’s working strategy, they are more concerned with elections than with people or fundamental issues in the country; instead, they are in election mode 365 days a year, but they still lost badly in Karnataka.”
“There might be some big reason that has brought these changes into the ministry,” BJP leader MP Hans Raj Hans said, “but the decisions were made by PM Narendra Modi for working performance and possibly for the upcoming polls.”
BJP leader Arun Pathak said, “PM Narendra Modi has made the changes in the ministry, and it has nothing to do with the working performance of other ministers.”
BJP Rajasthan president Chandra Prakash Joshi said, “We are happy with the decision made by PM Modi and we expect newly appointed minister Arjun Meghwal to be working at his best level.”
