Arun Jaitley passes away Live Updates: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reached former finance minister Arun Jaitley's residence Saturday to pay their last respects. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend Jaitley's funeral on Sunday. BJP stalwart Arun Jaitley breathed his last at AIIMS in New Delhi on Saturday. The mortal remains of Jaitley have been taken to his Kailash Colony residence after formalities were completed at the hospital. On Sunday morning, his body will be taken to the BJP headquarters where leaders across the political spectrum are expected to pay their last respects. From BJP headquarters, it will be taken to the Nigambodh Ghat for the last rites.
He had been admitted to AIIMS, New Delhi, since 9 August. "It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of Shri Arun Jaitley, Hon'ble Member of Parliament & Former Finance Minister, Government of India at 12:07 pm on 24th August, 2019. Shri Arun Jaitley was admitted in AIIMS, New Delhi on 09/08/2019 and was treated by a multidisciplinary team of senior Doctors," said a release by AIIMS.
In May last year, Arun Jaitley had undergone a renal transplant at AIIMS with Railways Minister Piyush Goyal filling in for him in the finance ministry at that time. In September 2014, he underwent bariatric surgery to correct the weight he had gained because of a long-standing diabetic condition.
10:30pm: Amit Shah spends three and a half hours at Jaitley's residence
BJP President Amit Shah spent around three and a half hours at the Kailash Colony residence of Arun Jaitley, who passed away at AIIMS.
"Parliament has lost a frank and versatile speaker, the Supreme Court has lost its most brilliant lawyer and the BJP has lost one of its tallest leaders. Personally, for me, whenever I have had a personal issue, he was there beside me, gave me strength. He played this role in the lives of many BJP workers," Amit Shah said.
9:19pm: Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) Dr B D Mishra mourned the death of former Union minister Arun Jaitley, and said he had worked selflessly and relentlessly for the good of the nation.
"He has left an indelible mark as the finance minister of the country, placing India as the world's fastest-growing economy. We shall always cherish his fond memory," the governor said.
8:45pm: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu pays tribute to Arun Jaitley at his house in Kailash colony.
8:40pm: Envoys of EU, Germany, UK condole Arun Jaitley's demise
The European Union's envoy in India Tomasz Kozlowski said: "Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Arun Jaitley. My deepest condolences to his family, the people and the government of India. The country has lost one of its most respected leaders and statesmen."
The United Kingdom's mission conveyed heartfelt condolences to Jaitley's family, friends and supporters at "this difficult time".
German Ambassador to India Walter J Lindner said, "Very saddened to hear about the demise of former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley; he was a great leader and an exponent of Indo-German relations. Our condolences to his family and loved ones".
8:35pm: Envoys of several countries condole Arun Jaitley's demise
"On behalf of France, I offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Shri Arun Jaitley ji. As the nation mourns its former FM & one of Rajya Sabha's most prominent voices, France stands with India and its people in this time of deep grief," French envoy in India Alexandre Ziegler said in a tweet.
Jaitley will be remembered for his long and distinguished service to India, the US mission said. "Especially notable were Jaitley's introduction of the Goods and Services Tax, efforts to improve the ease of doing business, and measures to combat corruption. Minister Jaitley recognised the importance of the US-India relationship and worked to improve the economic ties between our countries," it said.
8:30pm: Bureaucrats remember Jaitley as master of "complexities of communication"
Arun Jaitley had not only mastered the "art of writing" but also the "complexities of communication", say bureaucrats who worked with him during his two tenures as Information and Broadcasting minister.
Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati said he was "saddened" to see the news of Jaitley's demise within a few weeks of former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj's death.
"A generation of leaders who defined BJP through the 90s early 2000s no more," he said in a series if tweets.
8:20pm: My relationship with Arun Jaitley lasted for nearly 5 decades: Vijay Goel
Former Union minister Vijay Goel paid tributes to his "multi-faceted" friend Arun Jaitley and recalled the departed leader's fondness for good food. "I first met him in 1971 at the Sri Ram College of Commerce, where he was my senior. He was the president of the college students' union, while I was the secretary. Our relationship started as ABVP activists and lasted for 48 years," the BJP leader said.
During his college days, Jaitley would go on outings to Shimla and Mussoorie, Goel said, adding that the former finance minister used to go to the Lodhi Gardens here for morning walk and regularly interacted with fellow morning-walkers over tea at a spot, which came to be known as the "Jaitley corner".
8:10pm: Country lost its "best brain": Union Minister Jitendra Singh
"Arun Jaitley always cared for us, his juniors. To me personally, he was much more than I can describe in words," Jitendra Singh
said. "The Parliament and in fact the small world of our daily work routine would never be the same again without Arun Jaitley," he added.
7:35pm: Arun Jaitley's demise is an unbearable loss to BJP workers: Amit Shah
7:30pm: Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh arrive at Arun Jaitley's residence
Former PM Manmohan Singh, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, pay tribute to Arun Jaitley.
7:25pm: Former President of India, Pranab Mukherjee writes a letter of condolence to Arun Jaitley's wife Sangeeta Jaitley.
"In the untimely demise of Arun, I have lost a personal, much admired younger friend, and the country has lost an outstanding lawyer, an eminent parliamentarian, a powerful orator and an excellent human being". Mukherjee wrote in a letter.
He further added, " May the almighty give you, Sonali and Rohan the strength to bear this huge loss and peace to the departed soul".
7:20pm: DMK president M K Stalin expressed his grief over the death of Arun Jaitley and paid tribute to him. Stalin recalled Jaitley spending 19 months in prison during the infamous emergency after taking part in 'Lok Nayak,' Jayaprakash Narayan-led agitations. "Jaitley had great respect and regard for late M Karunanidhi, his passing away at the age of 66 is an irreparable loss for the BJP," Stalin said in his condolence.
7:15pm: Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma arrive at Kailash Colony---Arun Jaitley's residence.
7:10pm: A visonary leader and an outstanding parliamentarian: Sonowal condoles death of Arun Jaitley
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has mourned the death of former union minister Arun Jaitley. He said, "Jaitley was the architect of many major reforms in Indian economy and initiatives like demonetization and introduction of GST would always remain a hallmark of his tenure as finance minister of the country".
7:05pm: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik & Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Pinaki Misra pay tribute to former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
7:00pm: Arun Jaitley was generous, brilliantly knowledgeable and a tall leader: Anupam Kher
6:55pm: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pays last respect to former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
6:50pm: "A great orator and born leader whose heart was with the SRCC," that's how principal and juniors of Arun Jaitley remember him.
Jaitley was an alumnus of Shri Ram College of Commerce. SRCC college principal Simrit Kaur said as the Governing Body member, he would be present in all the meetings and had not missed a single meeting.
6:45pm: Lawyers' bodies condoled the passing away of Arun Jaitley, saying the legal fraternity has lost an "eminent jurist", and the void created by his demise would be difficult to fill.
Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) and Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) also condoled Jaitley's demise and remembered his contribution to the legal fraternity. Jaitley practised as a senior advocate in courts, especially the Delhi High Court, before he became a Union minister.
6:40pm: Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee's foster daughter Namita Kaul also laid wreath on Jaitley's body
6:35pm: Rajya Sabha Deputy chairman Harivansh condoled the death of Arun Jaitley, saying he was a man with a "multifaceted personality" and his demise was a great loss to the nation.
6:30pm: Veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani pays floral tribute to former FM Jaitley at his Kailash Colony residence.
6:25pm: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lays wreaths on mortal remains of former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
6:20pm: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad pay floral tribute to former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at his Kailash Colony residence in south Delhi.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad pay floral tribute to former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at his Kailash Colony residence in south Delhi.
6:15pm: Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia along with his family, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal & Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, pay tribute to former ArunJaitley.
6:10pm: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu expressed his grief saying it's an irreparable loss for the country.
6:05pm: Home Minister Amit Shah visited Jaitley's home to pay tributes.
6.01 pm: Sorry to hear about Arun Jaitley's demise, says Rahul Gandhi
"I am sorry to hear about Mr Arun Jaitley's passing. My condolences to his family and friends. May he rest in peace," tweets former Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
6.00 pm: Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia along with his family, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal & Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, pay tribute to former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who passed away on Saturday.
5.57 pm: Vice-president Venkaiah Naidu to reach Delhi tonight
Vice-president Venkaiah Naidu will land at the Delhi airport around 8 pm tonight from Chennai and would reach Arun Jaitley's home in Kailash Colony to pay his last respects.
5.55 pm: Haryana govt to observe two-day state mourning
The Haryana government has decided to observe a two-day state mourning as a mark of respect to former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. The national flag will fly at half-mast from August 24 to August 25 in Haryana on all buildings where it is flown regularly, and there will be no official programmes on these days, the government has announced.
5.52 pm: Traders body mourns Arun Jaitley's demise; says former FM was a good friend of traders
"With the demise of Shri Arun Jaitley the business community is deeply grieved as he was a true friend of traders who always stood with us whether it is Supreme Court or Parliament. A man with vast knowledge with high capabilities of articulation , a true guide and mentor Shri Jaitley was always available to us even on a phone call irrespective of holding any position," said a statement by Confederation of All India Traders.
"He was so humble that instead of unilaterally implementing GST, he sought cooperation of traders to avoid any confrontation and as per his promise to us he carried large number of amendments in GST on our request to make it a trader friendly law. He was always open for suggestions and never took a minute to admit if he was mistaken on any point which shows he was far beyond any ego," the statement added.
"We cannot forget that he fought the case of Delhi traders of sealing in Supreme Court without charging even a single penny and when we insisted he flatly refused to take any money from us.
The business community will remember him always as a true friend," it further said.
5.43 pm: Former PM Manmohan Singh condoles Arun Jaitley's death
Former Prime Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Manmohan Singh expressed grief on Arun Jaitley's demise on Saturday. "I have learnt with profound sorrow about the sad and shocking news of the untimely demise of our beloved Shri Arun Jaitley. Shri Jaitley was an eminent lawyer, an excellent orator, a very good administrator and an outstanding parliamentarian. In his death our country has lost a great leader who always worked for the betterment of society," Singh said in a statement.
"I take this opportunity to convey to you and other members of your family my heartfelt condolences on his bereavement. We pray to the almighty to give all of you the strength to bear this great loss with courage and fortitude," he added.
5.23 pm: Uttarakhand govt declares one-day state mourning
The Uttarakhand government has declared a one-day state mourning following the death of former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. The national flag will fly at half mast at all government buildings during this period.
5.17 pm: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reaches Arun Jaitley's Kailash Colony residence to pay his last respects.
5.16 pm: President Kovind reaches Arun Jaitley's residence to pay tributes
President Ram Nath Kovind has reached Arun Jaitley's home to pay tributes. BJP president Amit Shah and other senior party leaders too have reached Arun Jaitley's Kailash Colony home.
5.14 pm: Party depended on Jaitley for finding solutions to complex issues, says LK Advani
Veteran BJP leader LK Advani said Arun Jaitley was a man with a deeply analytical mind who the party depended on for finding solutions to complex issues. "I am deeply saddened to condole the passing away of yet another close colleague Arun Jaitley ji. Besides being a big luminary in the legal arena, Arunji was an outstanding parliamentarian and a great administrator. A dedicated party worker for decades, he was someone who was inducted into the BJP core team when I was Party President and he soon rose to become one of the most prominent leaders of the party," LK Advani said in a statement.
5.10 pm: Indian cricket team to wear black arm bands in Test match against West Indies
The Indian cricket team will wear black arm bands in its Test match against West Indies today to condole the demise of former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Arun Jaitley was also the president of the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) and former vice-president of the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI).
5.07 pm: Arun Jaitley last rites tomorrow at Nigambodh Ghat
The mortal remains of Jaitley have been taken to his Kailash Colony residence after formalities were completed at the hospital. On Sunday morning, his body will be taken to the BJP headquarters where leaders across the political spectrum are expected to pay their last respects. From BJP headquarters, it will be taken to the Nigambodh Ghat for the last rites.
5.01 pm: BCCI expresses grief on Arun Jaitley's demise
"BCCI condoles the sad demise of Shri Arun Jaitley. The BCCI shares the pain and grief of the Jaitley family & prays for the departed soul," tweets BCCI.
4.57 pm: "I am personally, deeply saddened by passing away of Arun Jaitley," said CJI Ranjan Gogoi.
4.54 pm: "Deeply saddened and shocked to hear the demise of Arun Jaitley sir. We have lost one of the prominent leaders today. My prayers are with his family and loved ones," tweets Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt.
4.46 pm: "Deeply condole the death of our senior leader Arun Jaitely Ji, who was like an elder brother to me. Have worked with him since my student days for more than 45 years. His intellect, leadership and eloquence was truly extraordinary. We all will really miss him. My deep condolences," tweets Ravi Shankar Prasad.
4.35 pm: Industry FICCI mourns Jaitley's death
"FICCI mourns sad demise of Mr #ArunJaitley. Arun ji's demise has been a great loss for India. The country has lost a proud son; a patriot; a nationalist & someone who was a firm believer in tremendous economic potential our country had to offer: FICCI President Mr Sandip Somany," tweets Industry body FICCI.
4.18 pm: You will be missed, says Chetan Bhagat
"So sad to hear about the demise of Arun Jaitley. May your soul rest in peace. So many wonderful memories of someone who listened well, spoke well and worked tirelessly. You will be missed," tweets Chetan Bhagat
4.15 pm: SP leader Akhilesh Yadave condoles Arun Jaitley's death
"Arun Jaitley will always be remembered as a skillful, successful advocate and a gentle politician. Humble tribute! May his soul rest in peace. Heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family," tweets Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav.
4.10 pm: Goa CM Pramod Sawant pays condolences on Arun Jaitley's demise
"Deepest condolences on the passing away of Shri Arun Jaitley ji," tweets Goa CM Pramod Sawant.
4.06 pm: Deeply grieved at the passing away of Arun Jaitley, says External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar
"Deeply grieved at the passing away of Shri Arun Jaitley ji. A towering political figure who influenced an entire generation. Will miss our discussions, on politics as much as cricket," tweets External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
3.58 pm: Chinese ambassador to India expresses grief on Arun Jaitley's demise
"Sad to learn that former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has passed away. My heartfelt condolences to the deceased and his family," tweets Chinese ambassador to India Sun Weidong
3.54 pm: Kerala Cm Pinarayi Vijayan pays condolencs on Arun Jaitley's death
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the sad demise of former Finance Minister BJP leader Arun Jaitley. "He made a mark for himself as an administrator. He had a deep knowledge in law which was instrumental in establishing his presence in Parliament." Vijayan also said that Jaitley was one of the first union ministers that he had met after assuming charge.
3.47 pm: GST would not have been possible without Arun Jaitley, says Bihar's Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi
"Implementing GST would have difficult without Arun Jaitley, he was an He was expert in ensuring consensus between different ideas," tweets Modi.
3.39 pm: Congress leader Kapil Sibal pays tribute to Arun Jaitley
"Very sorry to learn that Arun Jaitley is no more. An old friend and a dear colleague will be remembered for his seminal contributions to the polity and as FM of India. As Leader of Opposition he was without match. He always stood steadfastly for his friends and for his party," Kapil Sibal wrote on Twitter.
3:05pm: Deeply pained at the sad demise of my brother: Piyush Goyal
"Arun Jaitley was always available for all of us with his sage advice. It is a great personal loss for me and my family," said union minister Piyush Goyal.
3:03pm: Death of Arun Jaitley is a big loss for the nation: Nitin Gadkari
"I have seen him closely when he started as a student leader of the Vidyarthi Parishad. He was one of the top lawyers in the country who possessed natural argumentative skills," said Gadkari.
3:00pm: I am personally, deeply saddened by passing away of Arun Jaitley: CJI Ranjan Gogoi2:55pm: Mortal remains of Arun Jaitley to be taken home shortly; cremation tomorrow at Nigambodh Ghat, says JP Nadda
Mortal remains of Arun Jaitley will be soon taken to his residence. Tomorrow, around 10 am, the mortal remains will be taken to BJP headquarters for people to pay their last respects. Post-afternoon, the cremation will be held a Nigambodh Ghat, said JP Nadda. Jaitley's body will be taken to his Kailash Colony residence after formalities are completed at the AIIMS. On Sunday morning, his body will be taken to the BJP headquarters where leaders across the political spectrum are expected to pay their last respects. From BJP headquarters, it will be taken to the Nigambodh Ghat for the last rites.
2:50: UP CM Yogi Adityanath has canceled his Mathura visit on Janmashtami celebration. He is directly going to AIIMS, Delhi. Meanwhile, Anurag Thakur and Jyotiraditya Scindia have reached AIIMS hospital where mortal remains of Arun Jaitley are being kept for now.
2:47pm: Arun Jaitley was every non-BJP person's favourite BJP-ite: Jairam Ramesh
Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Jairam Ramesh also paid tribute to former Finance Mnister Arun Jaitley. He said, "Jaitley was amongst the sharpest legal and political brain with a great sense of humour and repartee". Jaitley was Bedi+Pras+Chandra+Venkat for his extraordinary spinning abilities. The GST Council may be amongst his most enduring contributions, Jairam added.
2:45pm: Arun Jaitley had a long innings as a public figure, minister and Parliamentarian: Sonia Gandhi
Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi has expressed deep pain at the untimely death of Arun Jaitley. She said, "Jaitley had a long innings as a public figure and Parliamentarian, and his contributions to public life will forever be remembered".
2.42 pm: Arun Jaitley was an outstanding parliamentarian and a brilliant lawyer, says Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee said she is extremely saddened to hear about the passing away of Arun Jaitley. "An outstanding Parliamentarian and a brilliant lawyer, appreciated across parties. His contribution to Indian polity will be remembered. My condolences to his wife, children, friends and admirers," she said.
2.34 pm: BJP will miss Arun Jaitley's presence: Rajnath Singh
"Arun Jaitley ji served the nation in several capacities and he was an asset to the government and the party organisation. He always had a deep and clear understanding of the issues of the day. His knowledge and articulation won him several friends. Jaitley ji will always be remembered for pulling the economy out of the gloom and putting it back on the right track. The BJP will miss Arunji's presence. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family," tweets Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
2.30 pm: Congress President Sonia Gandhi shares a condolence message for Shri Arun Jaitley.
2.26 pm: Congress party express grief over Arun Jaitley's death
"We are deeply saddened to hear the passing of Shri Arun Jaitley. Our condolences to his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them in this time of grief," Congress party tweet from its official handle.
2.10 pm: Arun Jaitley's death a "huge loss for the nation," says Delhi CM Arving Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in his condolence message said Arun Jaitley's death is a "huge loss for the nation". "Untimely demise of former FM and senior leader Sh Arun Jaitley ji is a huge loss to the nation. A legal luminary and an experienced political leader known for his governance skills will be missed by the country. Thoughts and prayers with his family in this moment of grief. RIP," Kejriwal said in a tweet.
2.06 pm: Arun Jaitley's death a personal loss, says Amit Shah
Union Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah in his condolence message for Arun Jaitley said his death comes as a personal loss for him. He said, "In death of Arun Jaitley I have not only lost a senior leader of the BJP but a member of my family."
2.05 pm: "His death is an irreparable loss for the country and personally to me also. I have no words to express my grief. He was a powerful intellectual, an able administrator and a man of impeccable integrity," Vice-President, M Venkaiah Naidu tells ANI.
2.00 pm: Arun Jaitley's demise: Full text of AIIMS Delhi
Here is the full text of the press release issues by AIIMS Delhi on the death of Arun Jaitley:
"It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of Shri Arun Jaitley, Hon'ble Member of Parliament & Former Finance Minister, Government of India at 12:07 pm on 24th August, 2019. Shri Arun Jaitley was admitted in AIIMS, New Delhi on 09/08/2019 and was treated by a multidisciplinary team of senior Doctors," said the release by AIIMS.
1.45 pm: "Deeply saddened by the tragic passing of my friend & DelhiUniv senior @arunjaitley. We first met when he was at DUSU & I was President of StStephen's CollegeUnion. Despite political differences we enjoyed a healthy mutual respect & debated his Budget often in LS. A great loss 4 India," tweets Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.
1.26 pm: "Extremely saddened by the passing of Shri Arun Jaitley after battling a long illness with fortitude and dignity. A brilliant lawyer, a seasoned parliamentarian, and a distinguished Minister, he contributed immensely to nation building," tweets President Ram Nath Kovind.
1.15 pm: PM Modi pays condolences on Arun Jaitley's death
"Arun Jaitley Ji was a political giant, towering intellectual and legal luminary. He was an articulate leader who made a lasting contribution to India. His passing away is very saddening. Spoke to his wife Sangeeta Ji as well as son Rohan, and expressed condolences. Om Shanti," tweets PM Modi.