Kiren Rijiju | |
|---|---|
Rijiju in 2018 | |
| Minister of Earth Sciences | |
| Assumed office 18 May 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Preceded by | Jitendra Singh |
| 34th Minister of Law and Justice | |
| In office 7 July 2021 – 18 May 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Preceded by | Ravi Shankar Prasad |
| Succeeded by | Arjun Ram Meghwal |
| Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports | |
| In office 30 May 2019 – 7 July 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Preceded by | Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore |
| Succeeded by | Anurag Thakur as Cabinet Minister |
| Minister of State for Minority Affairs | |
| In office 30 May 2019 – 7 July 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Minister | Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi |
| Preceded by | Virendra Kumar |
| Succeeded by | John Barla |
| Minister of State for Home Affairs | |
| In office 26 May 2014 – 30 May 2019 Served along with H. P. Chaudhary (2014-16) and H. G. Ahir (2016-19) | |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Minister | Rajnath Singh |
| Preceded by | R. P. N. Singh |
| Succeeded by | Nityanand Rai, G. Kishan Reddy |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| Assumed office 16 May 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Takam Sanjoy |
| Constituency | Arunachal West |
| In office 2004–2009 | |
| Preceded by | Jarbom Gamlin |
| Succeeded by | Takam Sanjoy |
| Constituency | Arunachal West |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 November 1971[1] Nafra, West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh, India |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Spouse | Joram Rina Rijiju |
| Residence(s) | 9, Krishna Menon Marg, New Delhi – 110011 |
| Education | B.A., LL.B[2] |
| Alma mater | Delhi University |
| Website | sites |
Kiren Rijiju (born 19 November 1971) is an Indian politician from Arunachal Pradesh who is the Cabinet Minister of Earth Sciences in Government of India in the Modi ministry since 2023 and a member of the Lok Sabha representing Arunachal West Lok Sabha constituency since 2014 and from 2004 to 2009. Previously, he served as the Minister of State for Home Affairs (India) from 2014 to 2019 and the Minister of State for Minority Affairs from 2019 to 2021 and the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports from 2019 to 2021. As a law minister Kiran's term was highly controversial as he used to criticize the judiciary day in and day out due to which he was demoted to Earth Science minister.[3]He was the former 34th Cabinet Minister of Law and Justice in the Modi ministry from 2021 to 2023.
Rijiju was born on 19 November 1971 at Nakhu near Nafra in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh in India. He is the son of Rinchin Kharu and Chirai Rijiju. His father was the first pro-tem speaker of Arunachal Pradesh who gave oath to the Members of the First State Legislative Assembly.[4]
He was a good athlete during his college days and as of February 2023 is seen playing Football and Badminton.
Rijiju did his graduation degree (B.A.) from Hansraj College, University of Delhi. Further, in 1998, he did his graduate degree in law (LL.B) from Campus Law Centre, Faculty of Law, University of Delhi.[5][6]
Kiren Rijiju is considered the face of Bharatiya Janata Party in North East India. He served as a Member of Khadi and Village Industries Commission from 2000 to 2005. Rijiju was appointed as India's Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports in 2019. He occasionally writes articles on security and socio-economic issues.[7][8]
In the 2004 Indian general election, he was elected as a member of the 14th Lok Sabha, representing the constituency of Arunachal West in the Indian Parliament, which is the fourth largest Parliamentary constituency (in terms of Area) in India. He was one of the most articulate and outspoken Parliamentarians in the 14th Lok Sabha.[citation needed] Rijiju entered the Lok Sabha for the second time in 2014 from the Arunachal (West) constituency of Arunachal Pradesh in India.[9]
During 2004-09, Rijiju was placed among the top 5 opposition MPs reviewed by their peers in the treasury bench based on high benchmark in debates, discussions, and decorum and was placed among stalwarts like L.K. Advani. He was also chosen as the best young MP by many[which?] national news agencies and magazines.[4]
In the 2009 general election, Rijiju was defeated by a very thin margin of 1314 votes by the Congress candidate under a very controversial circumstances which witnessed massive violence amidst allegation of widespread polling booth capturing by Indian National Congress Party.[10]
In the 2014 general election, Rijiju was again elected as a Member of Parliament in the 16th Lok Sabha, representing the Arunachal West constituency. Rijiju defeated Takam Sanjoy of the Indian National Congress by a margin of 43,738 votes.[11] Immediately he found a place in Narendra Modi's first Council of Ministers, as Minister of State for Home.[12][13]
In 2017, he said "Rohingyas are illegal immigrants and stand to be deported". He also stated that "India has absorbed maximum number of refugees in the world so nobody should give India any lessons on how to deal with refugees".[14][15][16][17]
Kiren Rijiju again got elected in 2019 by highest ever record margin of votes and became Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of State for Ministry of Minority Affairs.[18]
He served as Cabinet Minister of Law and Justice in Second Modi ministry from 2021 to 2023. On 18th May 2023, he was assigned the portfolio of Ministry of Earth Sciences.[19]
He married Joram Rina Rijiju in 2004.[20] She is a graduate from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, New Delhi and is a gold medalist from Arunachal University. She is an Associate Professor teaching history at Dera Natung Government College, Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh.[citation needed]
