'Whole eco-system in full swing': Rijiju on criticism over ex-SC judge's appointment as governor

In an apparent swipe at the Congress after it questioned the appointment of a retired Supreme Court judge as a governor, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said the “whole ecosystem” was once again in “full swing” over the issue.

“They should better understand that they can no longer treat India as their ‘personal fiefdom’,” the minister said on Sunday (February 12), without naming anyone.

The government on Sunday (February 12) appointed six new faces as governors, including Justice S Abdul Nazeer (retd), who was part of the historic 2019 Ayodhya verdict, and four BJP leaders, besides carrying out a rejig of the gubernatorial posts in seven states.

Nazeer has been appointed as the governor of Andhra Pradesh.

Also read: Ayodhya, triple talaq, demonetisation: Key verdicts of retired judge Nazeer, new AP guv

The Congress attacked the government over Nazeer’s appointment and called the move a “great threat” to the independence of the judiciary.

Taking to Twitter, Rijiju said India would be guided by the provisions of the Constitution.

“The Whole Eco-system is once again in full swing on the appointment of a Governor. They should better understand that they can no more treat India as their personal fiefdom. Now, India will be guided by the people of India as per the provisions of the Constitution of India,” the minister tweeted.

Nazeer, who retired on January 4, was part of several path-breaking verdicts, including those on the politically-sensitive Ayodhya land dispute, instant triple talaq, and the one that held the right to privacy to be a fundamental right.

(With Agency inputs)