Decode Politics: As Kiren Rijiju takes charge of Parliamentary Affairs, why Congress is irked

The Congress has criticised the Narendra Modi government’s choice of minister of Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “doesn’t want Parliament to function any differently than it has in the last decade”. The Congress’s statement came on Tuesday as four-time Arunachal West MP Kiren Rijiju took charge as the Parliamentary Affairs Minister.

Rijiju has also been given the charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs. In the previous BJP government, Rijiju held the portfolios of Food Processing Industries, Earth Sciences, Law and Justice, Youth Affairs and Sports as an independent Charge; and was a Minister of State (MoS) for Minority Affairs.

The first session of the new Parliament will be held from June 24 to July 3.

What did the Congress say?

Without naming Rijiju, Congress general secretary for communications Jairam Ramesh said the allocation of the Parliamentary Affairs ministry did not inspire “confidence”.

In a post on X, Ramesh wrote, “The allocation of the Parliamentary Affairs ministry makes one thing very clear. That the one-third Prime Minister does not want to establish confidence on this, and doesn’t want the Parliament to function any differently than it has in the last decade. Whatever the divine signals may be, the INDIA people’s alliance’s aims are clear – that in both Houses of Parliament, the will and mandate of the people will be reflected most effectively.”

The BJP and Rijiju are yet to respond to this statement.

Rijiju on several occasions has riled up the Congress by targeting Rahul Gandhi. In January, he mocked Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, claiming it was for the Congress leader’s “fun”.

In March 2023, when Rahul came to Parliament for the first time after the