BJP Welcomes New Cabinet, Oppn Says 'Confession of Modi Govt's Failures'

PM Modi wrote, “We will continue working to fulfill people's aspirations and build a strong and prosperous India.”

Several ministers exited from the Union Cabinet to make way for 43 newcomers in a major Cabinet reshuffle, on 7 July.

(Photo: PIB)

Several ministers exited from the Union Cabinet to make way for 43 newcomers in a major Cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday, 7 July.

The newly-inducted who included several first-times MPs such as Bharati Pawar, Bishweswar Tudu, Shantanu Thakur, among others, and senior leaders like Narayan Rane, Sarbananda Sonowal, and Jyotiraditya Scindia, were all welcomed with congratulatory messages on social media.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote, “We will continue working to fulfill the aspirations of people and build a strong and prosperous India.”

Home Minister Amit Shah and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh wrote that under PM Modi’s leadership the entire Cabinet will make the best contribution.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted saying that PM Modi honoured Assam by including former CM Sarbananda Sonowal into the cabinet.

While congratulatory messages came from BJP leaders and NDA allies, taunts poured in from the Opposition who commented that the Cabinet rejig is a confession of the Modi government's failures.

In the backdrop of a lot of criticism against the government's mishandling of the second wave of COVID and its constant attempts to thwart dissent on social media, several big names like former Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, IT Minister Ravishankar Prasad, and Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal resigned from the Cabinet.

Commenting on Dr Harsh Vardhan's resignation, Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram wrote, "The resignations of the Union Health Minister and the MoS Health is a candid confession that the Modi government has utterly failed in managing the pandemic."

Another Congress leader, Jairam Ramesh, tweeted, "Poor Dr Harsh Vardhan, a good man has been made a scapegoat for monumental failures at the highest level — nowhere else."

Chidambaram also asked about what a revamp of the education ministry says about the NEP. "The NEP too should be shown the exit door," he tweeted.

"If the Union Education Minister and his MoS are asked to resign, what does it say about the New Education Policy that was unveiled with great fanfare? The NEP has been criticised by states, political parties, educationists, teachers, academics, and scholars," Mr Chidambaram, tweeted.

TMC leader Mahua Moitra said that the Cabinet rejig shows that BJP is rewarding its loyalists. She noted that BJP MP from Alipurduar John Barla who had recently revived the demand for a separate state or Union Territory for North Bengal has been inducted into the new Cabinet.

"Games have begun," Moitra tweeted.

Another TMC MP Derek O'Brien also ridiculed the Cabinet reshuffle. He wrote, "When the full cupboard is in bad shape, what do you do? Change just the Cabinet."