With 2,258 days in office, Union Minister Amit Shah has become the longest-serving Minister of Home Affairs, surpassing the previous record held by BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani.
Shah assumed the office in the second term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Government on May 30, 2019. In 2014, aged just 49, Shah became the youngest president of the BJP.
Praising Shah for being the longest-serving home minister during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Parliamentary meeting, PM Modi said "It is just the beginning" and there is a long way to go, triggering buzz among MPs about the implication of the statement.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju later told reporters that the Prime Minister spoke in the context of the NDA's long and successful journey and that it will notch up many more achievements.
One of the most prominent figures in Indian politics, Shah has been at the helm since the Modi 2.0 Government took over in 2019, and his stint is of six years and 65 days so far.
The milestone in Shah's tenure comes on August 5, the same date he announced the abrogation of Article 370 in Parliament in 2019, ending the special status of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
Modi noted that August 5 was a historic day as Article 370, which gave special rights to the erstwhile state of J&K, was abrogated on this day in 2019. The ground-breaking ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya was also held on this day in 2020.
Advani, the towering BJP leader, had long advocated for the revocation of Article 370. Shah, often seen as Advani's protege, understood this vision but also brought it to fruition by turning the long-held ideological goal into reality.
"I am happy with the Government's decision to revoke Article 370. It is a bold step towards strengthening national integration. I congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Shri Amit Shah for this historic initiative," Advani, political mentor to both leaders, had said on August 5, 2019 - exactly six years ago.
The record for the longest-serving home minister was held by Congress leader Govind Ballabh Pant and Advani. While the BJP veteran held the position for 2,256 days (from March 19, 1998, to May 22, 2004), Pant served as home minister from January 10, 1955, to March 7, 1961, totalling six years and 56 days.