NEW DELHI: Union minister Kiren Rijiju has stated that he being removed as law minister and shifted to earth science ministry was “not a punishment”.

Kiren Rijiju, who is an MP from the Northeast state of Arunachal Pradesh, said that him being replaced as the country’s law minister was a “routine process”.

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Rijiju, in fact, said that he being shifted to the earth science ministry was part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision.

“This shifting is a routine process. It is the Prime Minister’s vision,” Kiren Rijiju said on Friday (May 19) after taking charge as minister of earth sciences.

Kiren Rijiju further said that opposition will speak against him as he was removed from the law ministry.

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“It is the duty of the opposition to speak against me. Let them speak,” said union minister Kiren Rijiju.

Rijiju took charge as the minister of earth sciences on Friday (May 19) at the Prithvi Bhawan on Lodhi Road in New Delhi.

“With great humility, I have taken charge as minister of earth sciences at New Delhi,” Rijiju said.

He also conducted a brief meeting with senior officers and senior scientists of the ministry’s various organizations.

In a surprising turn of events, Kiren Rijiju, on Thursday (May 18), was removed as the union law minister and replaced by Arjun Ram Meghwal.

This reshuffle in the government was unexpected, especially with just a year left for the Lok Sabha elections.

Kiren Rijiju, widely recognized as one of the government’s most prominent ministers and a skilled trouble-shooter, was reassigned to the relatively low-profile ministry of earth sciences.