NEW DELHI -- If Bharatiya Janata Party leader Smriti Irani is disappointed at being moved from the Human Resource Development Ministry to the Textiles Ministry by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a move widely regarded as demotion, the actor-turned politician is letting on.
On the contrary, Irani gave a playful reply to reporters who hit her with a barrage of questions as she went to take charge as the Textiles Minister today. "Kuch toh log kahenge, logon ka kaam hai kehna (people will say something, it is what they do)," she said with a smile, NDTV reported.
These are lyrics from Kishore Kumar's song Kuch To Log Kahenge from the movie Amar Prem.
In a major cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday, Irani, one of the Modi government's most high-profile and controversial faces, was moved to the relatively low-key Textiles Ministry. Irani, who faced criticism from several quarters for her handling of Hyderabad University Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide and the JNU row, has been replaced by Prakash Javedekar who will head the HRD Ministry.
While her detractors are rejoicing at what they see as her being stripped of rank, Irani pointed out that she had been handed a ministry that is "the second largest employer in the country after agriculture," NDTV reported.
"I am grateful the Prime Minister gave me the opportunity to work in this sector. Hope it will facilitate growth, I hope to give weavers full support," she said.
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