In June 2017, which Union cabinet minister of India was in charge of the Ministry of Defence?

Introduction / Context:
The composition of the Union Council of Ministers and the portfolios they hold are frequent topics in current affairs and polity questions. After the resignation of a minister or a reshuffle, some ministers may hold additional charges of important ministries. This question focuses on the situation in June 2017 and asks who was handling the Defence portfolio at that time.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The time frame is clearly mentioned as June 2017.
- The ministry in question is the Ministry of Defence.
- The options list prominent leaders: Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh, Kalraj Mishra, Arun Jaitley, and Nirmala Sitharaman.
- Only one of them held the Defence portfolio in June 2017.

Concept / Approach:
Manohar Parrikar, who had been the Defence Minister, resigned to become Chief Minister of Goa in March 2017. After his departure, Arun Jaitley, who was already serving as Finance Minister, was given additional charge of the Defence Ministry until a later cabinet reshuffle in September 2017, when Nirmala Sitharaman became Defence Minister. Therefore, during June 2017, the Defence portfolio was with Arun Jaitley, not with Rajnath Singh or Nirmala Sitharaman.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Manohar Parrikar left the post of Defence Minister in March 2017 to become Chief Minister of Goa. Step 2: Remember that after this change, Arun Jaitley, already serving as Finance Minister, took additional charge of the Defence Ministry. Step 3: Identify that Nirmala Sitharaman was appointed Defence Minister only in September 2017, so she was not holding the post in June 2017. Step 4: Rajnath Singh was the Home Minister at that time, and Narendra Modi was the Prime Minister, not specifically the Defence Minister. Step 5: Therefore, in June 2017, the cabinet minister dealing with the Ministry of Defence was Arun Jaitley.

Verification / Alternative check:
Press releases and cabinet portfolios listed by the Government of India for mid 2017 show Arun Jaitley as Minister of Finance and also holding additional charge of Defence. Later in September 2017, Nirmala Sitharaman took over the Defence portfolio, which confirms that Jaitley was the Defence Minister in June 2017.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Shri Narendra Modi: As Prime Minister, he leads the government but does not usually hold individual ministry charges like Defence in that period.
Shri Rajnath Singh: Served as Home Minister, looking after internal security, not Defence.
Shri Kalraj Mishra: Held the portfolio of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, not Defence.
Shrimati Nirmala Sitharaman: Became Defence Minister only later in September 2017, not in June 2017.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to mark Nirmala Sitharaman because she is a well known Defence Minister in recent years, but the question clearly specifies June 2017, before she took charge. Another pitfall is overlooking the possibility of a minister handling two portfolios, as Arun Jaitley did with Finance and Defence, which may seem unusual but is not uncommon in practice.

Final Answer:
In June 2017, the Union cabinet minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence was Shri Arun Jaitley.