Arun Jaitley passes away: Former Union minister Arun Jaitley, who passed away on Saturday afternoon after a prolonged illness, was cremated at the Nigambodh Ghat in New Delhi on Sunday. The senior BJP leader was 66. Jaitley was accorded full state honours in the presence of several leaders from BJP as well as the Opposition. Jaitley’s last rites were performed by his son Rohan. Among the leaders who were present at the cremation ground were Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, BJP veteran LK Advani, party chief and Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP working president J P Nadda, Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Smriti Irani and Anurag Thakur. From Congress, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kapil Sibal were also present at the Ghat.
After cremation, Naidu in a tweet said: “With a heavy heart attended the last rites of my longtime friend, Shri Arun Jaitley. May God grant his soul eternal peace!”
Jaitley’s body was brought to the BJP headquarters earlier on Sunday, where a large number of party workers and supporters gathered to pay their last respects. Posters remembering Jaitley were put up on the roads leading to the Nigambodh Ghat, on the banks of the Yamuna river.”
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Jaitley was admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on August 9 after he complained of breathlessness and restlessness.
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Himachal Pradesh government has announced two-day state mourning over the demise of former Union Minister and BJP leader Arun Jaitley.
Former finance minister Arun Jaitley has been cremated with state honours at the Nigambodh Ghat in New Delhi.
Long before he settled for a subdued and ‘political-friendly’ kurta-pyjama with a jacket — cottons in summer and pure pashmina during winters — the BJP’s one of the most urbane, suave face Arun Jaitley would wear nothing less than a “Bespoke shirt from London or John Lobb handcrafted shoes”. Read full story here
Arun Jaitley's mortal remains have arrived at Nigambodh Ghat. The BJP leader will be cremated with full state honours.
The mortal remains of Arun Jaitley are being taken from the BJP headquarters to Nigambodh Ghat. Jaitley will be cremated at the ghat at 2.30 pm.
BJP working president JP Nadda, Union ministers Harsh Vardhan, Prakash Javadekar, Piyush Goyal and Anurag Thakur, and AAP leader Sanjay Singh also paid their last respects to Jaitley.
Private carrier IndiGo issued a travel advisory for passengers travelling from Delhi as heavy traffic is expected during Jaitley's funeral procession. "Heavy traffic is expected in Delhi today as our former finance minister Mr Arun Jaitley, will be cremated this afternoon. Do keep time in hand while travelling to the airport. As we bid farewell to this outstanding parliamentarian, our prayers go out to his family and friends," the airline tweeted.
BJP workers and others queued up outside the party office on Sunday to pay their last respects to Arun Jaitley. People shouted slogans "Jab tak suraj chand rahega Jaitley tera naam rahega" (Your name will endure as long as the Sun and the Moon exist)" and 'Jaitley ji amar rahe' (You live long forever).
Arun Jaitley's body has been taken to BJP headquarters in New Delhi to give a chance to party leaders to offer their condolences.
Jaitley's body will be taken from the BJP headquarters to Delhi's Nigambodh Ghat at 2.30 pm, news agency PTI quoted a BJP leader as saying.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday wrote a letter to Arun Jaitley's wife Sangeeta offering her condolences. She said that the BJP leader attracted friends and admirers across the political spectrum and in all walks of life.
Jaitley's mortal remains will be kept at the BJP headquarters from 10.30 am for people to pay their last respects.
A number of Congress leader, including party president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul, visited Jaitley's residence on Saturday to offer condolences to the family. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that "Arun Jaitley was every non-BJP person’s favourite BJP-ite"
PM Modi, who is in Bahrain on an official tour, offered his condolences to the wife and son of Jaitley on Saturday. Both of them asked the prime minister to not cancel his foreign tour.
RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale: Arun Ji's death is an irreparable loss. A void has been created that can't be filled. A dear friend is gone. He was a model for any youth aspiring to be in public life. He set a high moral example. The general is gone. We strive to keep the march on.
While remembering the former Finance Minister, PM Modi in a tweet said Arun Jaitley Ji was admired by all sections of the society in the country.
PM Modi on Jaitley: "My friend Arun Jaitley loved India, loved his party and loved being among people. It is upsetting and unbelievable that a person I have known since our youth is no longer in our midst. I pay my tributes to him."
IBBI chief M S Sahoo on Arun Jaitley: History would remember Arun Jaitley as the champion of economic freedom in India and as the main author of 'The defaulter's paradise is lost'. He ushered in freedom to carry on business and freedom to exit from a business, through the Competition Act, 2002 and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, respectively.
Prime Minister Modi on Arun Jaitley's death: I can't imagine that I am so far here while my friend has gone away. Some days ago, we lost our former Defence Minister Behen Sushma Ji. Today my friend Arun went away.
#WATCH PM Modi while addressing the Indian community in Bahrain, reacts on the demise of #ArunJaitley: I can't imagine that I am so far here while my friend has gone away. Some days ago, we lost our former External Affairs Minister Behen Sushma Ji. Today my friend Arun went away pic.twitter.com/NcMZ5dU069
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav: Arun Jaitley ji was a one-stop reference for the party whenever legal issues or Constitutional matters are to be tackled in states or at the Centre. He had the competence to handle finance ministry on the one hand and defence ministry on the other with ease. Leaders from any state used to first go to Arun Jaitley ji to discuss any problem concerning that state.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu pays tribute to former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who passed away earlier today. In a statement released earlier in the day, Naidu: "I am deeply shocked to learn about the demise of Shri Arun Jaitley, a long-time dear friend and one of my closest associates. His death is an irreparable loss to the nation and a personal loss to me. I have no words to express my grief. Outstanding Parliamentarian, legal luminary, towering intellectual, an able administrator and a man of impeccable integrity, Shri Jaitley distinguished himself by effectively handling important portfolios as Union Minister in the cabinets of Shri AB Vajpayee and Shri Narendra Modi."
Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pay tribute to former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who passed away earlier today.
Home Minister Amit Shah: Arun Jaitley's demise is an unbearable loss to the workers of BJP. As a student leader, he was jailed for 19 months during the emergency. As a Member of Parliament, he always raised the voice of the people and acted as a crusader against corruption. Whenever I faced trouble in my life, Arun Jaitley ji always stood by me. Today, he is not with us anymore, I pray to the almighty to give peace to the departed soul and give strength to his family and BJP workers to cope with this loss.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Arun Jaitley: "The nation will never forget his contribution, he was an asset to the party, the government when he was part of it, and the country. He is not with us anymore, I pay tribute to him."
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pays tribute to former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who passed away at All India Institute of Medical Sciences earlier today.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Pinaki Misra pay tribute to former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who passed away earlier today.
For almost a decade-and-a-half, more so after the death of Pramod Mahajan in 2006, he was the last port of call for the party to help it out of any crisis.
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Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath arrive at Arun Jaitley's house to pay tribute to the former Finance Minister who passed away at AIIMS after battling a prolonged battled with multiple illnesses.
In his budget for 2018-19, Jaitley as finance minister proposed setting up of two defence industrial corridors to promote domestic production. | READ MORE HERE
Congress along with his family, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia arrive at Arun Jaitley's house to pay tribute to the former minister.
Over the years from being a Rajya Sabha member in the opposition seat to holding the most important portfolios like defence, law and finance, Arun Jaitley continued to evolve, says enior journalist K Yatish Rajawat | READ MORE HERE
President Ram Nath Kovind arrived at Arun Jaitley's house to pay tribute to the former Union Finance Minister, who passed away at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, earlier today. External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar also paid floral tributes to the former minister.
Indian cricket team has decided to wear black arm bands during the ongoing Test match against West Indies today to condole the demise of Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. He who was also the president of the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) and former vice-president of BCCI.
Veteran BJP leader LK Advani said he was deeply saddened by the death of Arun Jaitley. Advani said remembered Jaitley as a person with a deeply analytical mind on whom the party depended for finding solutions to complex issues. READ MORE HERE
I am deeply pained at the sad demise of my brother and my mentor. He was always available for all of us with his sage advice. It is a great personal loss for me and my family, says Union Minister Piyush Goyal
Mortal remains of former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has been taken to his residence from All India Institutes of Medical Sciences, where he passed away, earlier today. BJP working president JP Nadda, Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan paid floral tributes on behalf of BJP president Amit Shah and PM Narendra Modi respectively.
Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Saturday said with the demise of Arun Jaitley, the country has lost "an eminent senior advocate" and "a tall leader". "I am personally, deeply saddened by the passing of Arun Jaitley," the CJI told PTI. Justice Gogoi said on behalf of the country's judiciary, "I express my condolences to his family and pray for the noble soul to rest in peace."