Union law minister Kiren Rijiju, considered a favourite with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah and a vocal critic of the judiciary relating to the process of selecting judges for appointment, was on Thursday shifted to the low-profile earth sciences ministry.

Junior culture and parliamentary affairs minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, who had been at the centre of a storm for purportedly endorsing a papad brand (Bhabhi Ji Papad) in the middle of the pandemic saying it could boost immunity against Covid, has been given independent charge of the law ministry.

Rijiju’s unexplained and unceremonious removal was capped by a statement by his successor that the relationship between the executive and the judiciary “will stay cordial and constitutional”.

A morning notification from Rashtrapati Bhavan had broken the news. “The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has been pleased to direct the following reallocation of portfolios among Ministers in the Union Council of Ministers,” the notification said, going on to reveal the new portfolios for Rijiju and Meghwal.

The government remained tightlipped about the reasons behind what was effectively a sudden demotion for Rijiju, a three-term MP from Arunachal Pradesh who had been promoted as a “bright young leader from the Northeast with fluency in Hindi”.

Government managers privately suggested that Rijiju had been “punished” for exceeding his brief in attacking the judiciary. Rijiju, who has long been castigating the judiciary for refusing the government a say in the selection of judges, had a couple of months ago accused some retired judges of being part of the “anti-India gang”, without naming anyone.

However, Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar has been equally aggressive about the judiciary’s powers, indicating a strategy by the ruling establishment to target the judiciary.

“It will be foolish to think that Rijiju had attacked the judiciary without being asked to do so by the top leadership,” a former minister said.

Some insiders, however, indicated an effort by the Centre to “assuage the feelings” of the Supreme Court, which, they believe, has been miffed at Rijiju’s regular attacks. They said the government wanted to avoid any run-ins with the top court in the lead-up to the Lok Sabha polls.

Soon after taking over his new responsibility, Meghwal declared that there was no confrontation with the judiciary and that his priority would be to ensure speedy justice for all. “The executive and the judiciary have a cordial relationship, and it will stay cordial and constitutional. The boundaries are already there,” he told reporters.

Two recent Supreme Court judgments — on the circumstances leading to the formation of the BJP-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) government in Maharashtra, and on the administrative tussle between the Centre and Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party government — have come as setbacks for the BJP.

If there is any strain in ties between the judiciary and the executive, it was not in evidence last week when Karnataka director-general of police Praveen Sood was selected as the new CBI chief. Sood’s appointment as CBI director was cleared on Saturday (the Karnataka election results day) by a high-powered committee made up of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. Chowdhury is said to have given a note of dissent against the decision to appoint Sood from a shortlist of three IPS officers.

Rijiju’s exit highlights how the law ministry has been earning an unenviable reputation. Rijiju had been elevated to the cabinet and appointed law minister in July 2021, when Ravi Shankar Prasad was removed as law and IT minister — again without explanation.

Many in the BJP connected Meghwal’s elevation to the upcoming polls in Rajasthan. Meghwal is a three-term MP from Bikaner. Some cited Meghwal’s law degree too.

A prominent face in the BJP from a socially marginalised section, Meghwal was promoted to the Indian Administrative Service in 1999. A decade later, he sought voluntary retirement from the IAS and took the political plunge.

Known for his rendition of bhajans, Meghwal performed in the 638th fair of Baba Ramdev at Ramdevra. He was also seen singing devotional songs at the Rajasthan Kabir Yatra 2016. Meghwal is known for donning colourful Rajasthani turbans.

Outside Rajasthan, Meghwal’s fame is largely associated with an undated video clip that surfaced in July 2020. It shows a person resembling him claiming that a papad brand made under the Atmanirbhar campaign has ingredients that can help create antibodies to fight the coronavirus.

In the video, the person is heard saying: “My fellow countrymen, under the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign, a papad manufacturer has launched a papad under the brand name Bhabhi Ji, which can help develop the antibodies needed to fight Covid-19.”

So far, no scientific evidence has been found to support the claim.

Meghwal was then Union minister of state for water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation, and parliamentary affairs.

On Thursday, Rijiju posted a tweet promptly after his transfer to show that all was well. He thanked Chief Justice Chandrachud and the other apex court judges.

He also rushed with a bouquet to congratulate Meghwal, who has already assumed charge.

“It has been a privilege and an honour to serve as Union Minister of Law & Justice under the guidance of Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji,” Rijiju tweeted, describing himself as a “humble karyakarta” of the BJP.

“I thank honble Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, all Judges of Supreme Court, Chief Justices and Judges of High Courts, Lower Judiciary & entire Law officers for the huge support....”

The development comes a day after Modi held a long meeting with key ministers at his residence, which was said to be part of the preparations to mark his government’s nine years in power on May 26.

Many ministers who are thought to be under the scanner appeared nervous. Speculation about a cabinet shuffle had been growing for some time, and many feel that Modi could go ahead with it now to shift the focus from the party’s drubbing in Karnataka.

Second notification

Hours after the first notification from Rashtrapati Bhavan, a second was issued communicating another change: S.P. Singh Baghel, who was junior law minister under Rijiju, was being moved to the health ministry.

The second notification appeared to reflect ham-handedness, for Baghel’s transfer could well have been communicated in the first notification. It seemed the government had been late to realise that the appointment of Meghwal, himself a minister of state, made the continuation of a junior under him redundant.

Additional reporting by PTI