New Delhi, August 24: Senior Advocate and former Union Law Minister Arun Jaitley, 66, passed away. He was undergoing treatment at AIIMS New Delhi since August 9.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla were among the leaders who had visited the senior BJP leader at AIIMS last week.
In May this year, Jaitley was admitted to AIIMS for treatment. Earlier, citing health reasons, the BJP leader did not contest the Lok Sabha elections. After the Modi government returned to power, he wrote to the Prime Minister that he would like to stay away from “any responsibility” on account of his ill health.
A lawyer by profession, Arun Jaitley was among the leaders who were jailed by the Indira Gandhi government during the Emergency. He was a student leader at the time.
However, Arun Jaitley also served on the Atal Bihari Vajapyee cabinet. Between 2009 and 2019, when the BJP sat in the Opposition benches, Arun Jaitley served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.
Arun Jaitley is survived by his wife and two children.
Earlier this year, another BJP stalwart, Sushma Swaraj passed away at 67.
“Saddened, pained & broken on demise of Sushmaji. She was one of the most outstanding politicians in the Present Era. She distinguished in all positions. She held Senior Positions with the Party, NDA Govt. & while in opposition. She leaves behind a void which is difficult to fill”, among his last tweets, Jaitley had condoled Swaraj’s death.
