Amit Shah takes charge as Home Minister

New Delhi, June 01: Amit Shah on Saturday took charge as the Union Home Minister, two days after he was sworn-in following a landslide victory of the saffron party-led NDA.

Shah was welcomed at the ministry of home affairs by Intelligence Bureau director Rajiv Jain and Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, amid airtight security.

The home minister is also holding a meeting with the officials to familiarise with the issues concerning the ministry, an official said.

Two newly appointed Ministers of state for home - G K Reddy and Nityananda Rai - also took charge on Saturday.

Shah, who is also the current president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) , takes over as the Union home minister replacing Rajnath Singh, took over as the Union Defence minister.

Shah takes over the ministry while it has been grappling with issues of rising militancy in the Kashmir valley, especially in the wake of the Pulwama suicide attack that killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldiers.