2 New Ministers Of State Join Home Ministry: What They Said On Day 1

Ajay Kumar Misra and Nisith Pramanik today took charge as Ministers of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), a day after they were sworn in with 41 others in the Narendra Modi government's mega cabinet reshuffle.

In a first since the BJP came to power in 2014, the MHA has three Ministers of State. Besides Mr Misra and Mr Pramanik, Mr Nityanand Rai is a junior minister in the ministry headed by Amit Shah.

G Kishan Reddy, who was earlier a Minister of State in MHA, has been elevated to cabinet minister rank in the latest reshuffle and is now in charge of Culture, Tourism and Northeast development portfolios.

Both Mr Misra and Mr Pramanik greeted Home Minister Shah before formally taking charge at the North Block today. They were accompanied by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla to their offices.

गृह मंत्रालय में मेरे दो नये साथी श्री @ajaymishrteni जी और श्री @NisithPramanik जी को गृह राज्य मंत्री बनने पर बधाई दी।

प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के नेतृत्व में हम देश की समृद्धि और जनता के कल्याण के लिए निरंतर संकल्पित भाव से कार्य करते रहेंगे। pic.twitter.com/YRUJsrzMWD

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 8, 2021

Responding to a question from the media after taking charge, Mr Misra said the Narendra Modi government has handled the Rohingya issue firmly and it is no longer a major problem. "This is not a big issue anymore because effective corrective steps have been taken by the government," he said.

Shri Ajay Kumar takes charge as Minister of State for Home Affairs at North Block in New Delhi.@HMOIndia @PIB_India @DDNewslive @airnewsalerts pic.twitter.com/Ma07EopChE

— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) July 8, 2021

Mr Misra represents Uttar Pradesh's Kheri constituency in Lok Sabha. To a question on the upcoming Assembly elections in the state, he said the BJP will win maximum seats in the polls. "We will get full majority in the Assembly," he told NDTV.

Shri @NisithPramanik assumes charge as Minister of State for Home Affairs at North Block in New Delhi.@HMOIndia @PIB_India @DDNewslive @airnewsalerts pic.twitter.com/etK2ezYZAV

— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) July 8, 2021

After taking charge as minister, Coochbehar MP Mr Pramanik told NDTV, "I owe a lot to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and would like to learn my way around the ministry under his guidance."

To a question on post-poll violence in West Bengal, he said necessary steps are being taken to control such incidents. "This is my first day, but all I can say is that necessary steps are being taken," he said.

The first-time MP declined to comment on the demand for the formation of a separate Union Territory with areas now in north Bengal. "It's my first day, I don't want to comment on this," he said.