BJP MP John Barla on Thursday took charge as Minister of State for Minority Affairs in the presence of Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in New Delhi.
He is a Lok Sabha MP representing the Bharatiya Janata Party from Alipurduar in West Bengal.
"I thank Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the nation as union Minister of minority affairs Ministry", tweeted Barla.
Barla was in news after the student's wing of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on June 22 filed a complaint against BJP MPs John Barla and Soumitra Khan for their alleged statement demanding separate statehood for North Bengal and Jangalmahal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday effected a major reshuffle and expansion of his ministry bringing Mansukh Mandaviya as Health Minister, Kiren Rijiju as Law Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan as Education Minister, and Jyotiratidya Scindia as Civil Aviation Minister.
The exercise, carried out over two years after the BJP-led government came to office in its second term and amid the ongoing battle against COVID-19, saw some ministers being dropped and the induction of 15 cabinet ministers and several ministers of state. Seven ministers of state were elevated to cabinet rank.
( With inputs from ANI )
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