Why is Kiren Rijiju happy to be appointed Union earth sciences minister?

You don’t have to google it, the BJP leader has himself provided the answer.

It’s because “since childhood I had deep interest about Google Earth and the Earth”.

Google Earth was launched on June 28, 2005, although an earlier version had been available since June 2001.

The Lok Sabha website gives Rijiju’s date of birth as November 19, 1971.

It might be asked what Google Earth — a computer programme that provides a 3D representation of the Earth based primarily on satellite imagery — has to do with the earth sciences ministry, which oversees India’s national weather forecasting agency and funds research on the weather, oceans, Antarctica, and climate change.

“I haven’t looked into the details of the ministry but to tell you the truth, since childhood I had deep interest about Google Earth and the Earth,” Rijiju told reporters on Friday after assuming charge of his new portfolio.

The other reason he is happy about his portfolio change is that it’s an outcome of the “plan and vision” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Rijiju’s primary motive at the media interaction seemed to be to dismiss the widely held perception that his transfer from the law ministry to a relatively low-profile portfolio was a “demotion” and a “punishment”.

“Why do you think that I committed some wrong,” he shot back when a reporter asked him what “galati” (wrong) he had committed to be shunted out of the law ministry.

“This reshuffle or entrusting different responsibilities (to different ministers) is part of a plan of the government and vision of the Prime Minister,” Rijiju said.