Prakash Javadekar takes charge of HRD ministry, reacts to Ali Anwar’s comment on Smriti Irani

New Delhi: Promising to convert the challenges into opportunities, former Environment minister Prakash Javadekar took charge of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) on Thursday.

Javadekar, who earlier held independent charge as the Minister of State was the only minister promoted to cabinet rank in the major cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

“All the challenges will be converted into opportunities and we will cooperate with all the states,” Javadekar said in New Delhi.

He replaced Union Minister Smriti Irani — a controversial figure shunted out to the Textiles Ministry.

Speaking of the controversy that marred the HRD during Irani’s tenure, Javadekar said, “Keep on reporting our good work and there would be no controversy”.

Asked about new Education Policy, he said that he will only comment after meeting ministry officials and understanding the work.

Reacting to JDU’s Ali Anwar’s crass comment on Smriti Irani, Javadekar said, “This is the worst comment I had ever heard of”.

Anwar, who represents Bihar in Rajya Sabha, said in a crass analogy that the Textile ministry has been given to Smriti Irani to cover her body.