<p>Sudden change in Kiren Rijiju's portfolio from the Law Ministry to the Ministry of Earth Sciences on Thursday left many in the Northeast surprised. Rijiju and Sarbananda Sonowal, hailing from Arunachal Pradesh and Assam respectively, were given berths in the Union Cabinet in 2021 reportedly due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's happiness over their performances as union minister of states.<br /> </p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/rijijus-stint-in-law-ministry-witnessed-frequent-run-ins-with-judiciary-1219790.html"><strong>Also read: Rijiju's stint in Law Ministry witnessed frequent run-ins with judiciary</strong></a></p>.<p>During Modi's first tenure as the PM, Rijiju had served as the union minister of state for sports while Sonowal also discharged the same duty between 2014 and 2016, before he became Assam CM. Sonowal was made the union minister of ports and AYUSH in 2021 after BJP replaced Sonowal with Himanta Biswa Sarma as the CM.</p>.<p>But Rijiju's removal from the law ministry on Thursday left many surprised. BJP leaders in Arunachal Pradesh said although it was a prerogative of the Prime Minister to reshuffle the portfolios, the manner in which Rijiju was removed came as a surprise to them. "The PM must have something good in mind as he has displayed his special love for the Northeast. Whatever may be the reason, but the Ministry of Earth Sciences is also a very good ministry," a BJP leader said, requesting not to quote him. BJP is also in power in Arunachal Pradesh.</p>.<p>The Opposition Congress, however, said Rijiju was shunted out of the important law ministry as he failed to initiate any significant step for judicial reforms and instead he started issuing "veiled threats" to the judiciary. </p>.<p>"As law minister Rijiju failed to initiate any significant steps for judicial reforms to mitigate the woes faced by the litigators and the undertrials not only in the Northeast but in the entire country. Critical areas of judicial appointments were also not considered for further upgradation during his tenure. Breaking all conventions, he began issuing veiled threats to the judiciary," Diganta Choudhury, general secretary of North East Congress Co-ordination Committee told DH. </p>.<p>"The appointment Arjun Ram Meghwal as the new law minister also smacks of extracting political mileage for the ruling party in the impending Rajasthan Assembly elections. Issues faced by the common litigators and undertrials are missing from BJP's work priorities," Choudhury said.</p>
<p>Sudden change in Kiren Rijiju's portfolio from the Law Ministry to the Ministry of Earth Sciences on Thursday left many in the Northeast surprised. Rijiju and Sarbananda Sonowal, hailing from Arunachal Pradesh and Assam respectively, were given berths in the Union Cabinet in 2021 reportedly due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's happiness over their performances as union minister of states.<br /> </p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/rijijus-stint-in-law-ministry-witnessed-frequent-run-ins-with-judiciary-1219790.html"><strong>Also read: Rijiju's stint in Law Ministry witnessed frequent run-ins with judiciary</strong></a></p>.<p>During Modi's first tenure as the PM, Rijiju had served as the union minister of state for sports while Sonowal also discharged the same duty between 2014 and 2016, before he became Assam CM. Sonowal was made the union minister of ports and AYUSH in 2021 after BJP replaced Sonowal with Himanta Biswa Sarma as the CM.</p>.<p>But Rijiju's removal from the law ministry on Thursday left many surprised. BJP leaders in Arunachal Pradesh said although it was a prerogative of the Prime Minister to reshuffle the portfolios, the manner in which Rijiju was removed came as a surprise to them. "The PM must have something good in mind as he has displayed his special love for the Northeast. Whatever may be the reason, but the Ministry of Earth Sciences is also a very good ministry," a BJP leader said, requesting not to quote him. BJP is also in power in Arunachal Pradesh.</p>.<p>The Opposition Congress, however, said Rijiju was shunted out of the important law ministry as he failed to initiate any significant step for judicial reforms and instead he started issuing "veiled threats" to the judiciary. </p>.<p>"As law minister Rijiju failed to initiate any significant steps for judicial reforms to mitigate the woes faced by the litigators and the undertrials not only in the Northeast but in the entire country. Critical areas of judicial appointments were also not considered for further upgradation during his tenure. Breaking all conventions, he began issuing veiled threats to the judiciary," Diganta Choudhury, general secretary of North East Congress Co-ordination Committee told DH. </p>.<p>"The appointment Arjun Ram Meghwal as the new law minister also smacks of extracting political mileage for the ruling party in the impending Rajasthan Assembly elections. Issues faced by the common litigators and undertrials are missing from BJP's work priorities," Choudhury said.</p>
