Who is George Kurian? BJP leader resigns from Union Council of Ministers

NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian has resigned from the Union Council of Ministers following the completion of his Rajya Sabha term. His resignation was accepted by President Droupadi Murmu on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a communique issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday.Who Is George Kurian?George Kurian was a Minister of State in the Union government and is regarded as probably the only member of the Christian community in the Council of Ministers.His Rajya Sabha term ended on June 21. However, Kurian said he was able to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi only on June 22, when he personally thanked him for the opportunity to serve in the Union government and submitted his resignation.Following the acceptance of his resignation, Kurian said that it was only because Narendra Modi became Prime Minister that he was able to find a place in the Union Council of Ministers.In a deeply personal Facebook post on Tuesday, Kurian described his tenure in the ministry as an opportunity he had "never imagined, not even in my dreams".Using his farewell message to highlight the Prime Minister's role in his elevation to the ministry, Kurian said he had been informed that President Droupadi Murmu had accepted his resignation.Sharing a photograph of himself and the Prime Minister enjoying a light-hearted moment, Kurian reiterated that he had personally thanked Modi for the opportunity when they met on June 22 and formally submitted his resignation.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had decided not to renominate Kurian in the recent Rajya Sabha elections. (With agency inputs)