Calling it a 'good step' on removal of Smriti Irani from the HRD Ministry in the big Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday, The Congress on Wednesday said shifting Ministers from one position to another is of no use until they are removed.
"No one was happy with the way Smriti Irani worked. The Rohit Vemula case, JNU issue...these kind of issues were raised when she was in the position, I believe that it was not good for any HRD ministry. She is removed and it is a good thing," Congress leader P.L. Punia told ANI here.
"The ministers are merely working as propagandas. What is the importance of shifting ministers from one position to another? It would have been a fair reshuffle if somebody would have been removed but that was not been done. And shifting from one ministry to other is of no use," he added.
In a much-awaited Cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Modi yesterday inducted 19 new faces, who were chosen after an exhaustive vetting process to carry forward the government's vision of 'Gaon, Garib aur Kisan'.
The 19 leaders from the BJP and alliance partners the Apna Dal, AGP and RPI were sworn-in at a glittering ceremony held at the Rastrapati Bhawan here.
Minister of State for Environment and Forests Prakash Javadekar, who has been promoted to the Cabinet rank, was the first to take the oath.
Earlier, President Pranab Mukherjee, acting on the advice of Prime Minister Modi, appointed the following as members of the Council of Ministers:
Cabinet Minister:
1. Prakash Javadekar
Ministers Of State:
1. Faggan Singh Kulaste
2. S.S. Ahluwalia
3. Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi
4. Vijay Goel
5. Ramdas Athawale
6. Rajen Gohain
7. Anil Madhav Dave
8. Parshottam Rupala
9. M.J. Akbar
10. Arjun Ram Meghwal
11. Jaswantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor
12. Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey
13. Ajay Tamta
14. Krishna Raj
15. Mansukh L. Mandaviya
16. Anupriya Patel
17. C.R. Chaudhary
18. P.P. Chaudhary
19. Subhash Ramrao Bhamre
According to sources, the selection framework clearly laid out by the Prime Minister was to bring in "doers and performers", who would deliver on his vision of development and good governance.
This marks a firm departure from the usual routine of frequent changes based on caste, religion and other time serving political considerations - and is a firm endorsement of the brand of developmental politics that the Prime Minister champions, they added.
The decision of expanding the Council of Ministers came after taking into consideration a diverse range of factors.
The first major Cabinet reshuffle was in November 2014.
According to the Constitution, a maximum of 82 ministers can be accommodated in the Cabinet.
