Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 24: The sudden and untimely demise of former Union Finance Minister and BJP stalwart, Arun Jaitley who breathed his last in Union Capital today has been widely condoled.
Governor, Satya Pal Malik expressed grief over the sad demise of former Union Minister, Arun Jaitley.
Governor recalled his close relationship with Jaitley since his Student Union days in 1974, and working together with him during the Jai Parkash Narayan Movement. He remembered the enormous contribution and sacrifices Jaitley had made for the country especially his imprisonment during the emergency. He recollected their close association during the days when Jaitley was nominated as a member of the National Executive of the erstwhile Janata Party and subsequently in the BJP.
Governor further stated that he would always remain thankful to Jaitley for his sage advise and humane approach in dealing with various issues from time to time.
In a condolence message, Governor has prayed for peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family in its hour of grief.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh while expressing his grief and shock over the sudden demise of Arun Jaitley said “We have lost the best brain in the country”.
Dr Jitendra Singh, who was known to be very close to Jaitley and who had been regularly visiting AIIMS almost every day, ever since Arun Jaitley got hospitalized on 9th of this month, was amongst the first to tweet “We have lost the best brain in the country. Personally, what @Arun Jaitley meant to me can not be described in words. The void is difficult to fill…. at least in this lifetime.”
Speaking to media, Dr Jitendra Singh recalled Arun Jaitley’s J&K connection and said, “Jaitley Ji was in charge of Jammu & Kashmir for a number of years. What a providential coincidence that he wrote his last blog on the abrogation of Article 370, late evening on 6th of August after the Bill had been passed by Lok Sabha. I was always in regular touch with him, on day to day basis, and called on him almost every day. That particular day, we were late in the Parliament and I received a call from him at around 8.45 PM . He wanted to check on one or two facts and said that he was in the middle of writing a piece on abrogation of Article 370.”
“I am short of words because he was not only a colleague, he was our mentor and guide. He always cared for us, his juniors. To me personally, he was much more than I can describe in words”, said Dr Jitendra Singh and added, “the Parliament and in fact, the small world of our daily work routine would never be the same again without Arun Jaitley.”
BJP national vice president and Prabahri J&K, Avinash Rai Khanna has expressed his grief and sorrow over the demise of Jaitley. He said Jaitley was an institution in himself who had earned high regard even in opposition parties. He was a good speaker, intellectual and outstanding Parliamentarian. Not only BJP but country too has lost a great leader whose demise created a vacuum which will not be filled for a long time.
Khanna expressed his deepest sympathy with bereaved family and prayed for the peace of departed soul.
BJP State president and former MLA Ravinder Raina has expressed his grief over the sad demise of former Union Minister, Arun Jaitley. Raina convened an emergency meeting of the party to condole the demise here today. He, while addressing the meeting said that he was deeply shocked over the demise of Jaitley. He called Jaitley a great orator, a loyal worker and a popular public representative who has left an indelible mark on Indian politics.
He said it is difficult to accept that he left us suddenly. He also prayed for the peace of departed soul and courage to bereaved family.
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee has also deeply condoled the demise of former Union Minister and senior BJP leader, Arun Jaitley.
In its condolence message JKPC president, G A Mir and all senior leaders of the party have expressed profound grief and sorrow over the untimely demise of Jaitley and conveyed heart felt condolences to the bereaved family. The Congress leaders said Jaitely was a great Parliamentarian and a leading lawyer who was always helpful to the people of the State.
Condoling the demise of BJP stalwart and former Union Minister, Arun Jaitley, former Union Minister, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta expressed his grief over the demise of this great leader. In his condolence message Prof Gupta said that Jaitley was a great nationalist and legal luminary who was having many virtues.
He said as far as J&K State was concerned Jaitley was closely linked to it and he was taking keen interest in the affairs of this trouble-torn State.
Prof Gupta said his demise is a great loss to the nation and to this State as he played important role in shaping and settling many issues. He will be remembered for many years to come for his contribution to the nation and this part of the country.
National Conference (NC), provincial president Devender Singh Rana has also expressed deep grief and sorrow over the sad demise of Jaitley.
In a condolence message, Rana described Jaitley as gentleman politician, who reached out to all sections of political spectrum and society.
In Jaitley India has lost a tall statesman, a political stalwart a legal genius Rana said, adding that having married a daughter from Jammu and Kashmir, Jaitley has a special bond here. His demise has created a huge void, which is difficult to be filled. He prayed for the peace of the departed soul.
National Panthers Party (NPP) has also condoled the demise of Jaitley. The party held an emergency meeting in New Delhi soon after it came to know about the demise of Jaitley. The meeting while condoling the shocking demise of a veteran nationalist, intellectual leader who had grown with impressive leadership qualities right from his student days till he voluntarily retired as Union Finance Minister.
Prof Bhim Singh, chief patron of NPP who had acquaintance from his student life and shared the Supreme Court Corridors where Jaitley voluntarily to argue detention cases of J&K detenues.
Prof Bhim Singh said that Jaitley had a very close relationship with J&K and he always offered full legal support to suffering students and youth in J&K jails. He also enjoyed tremendous confidence of people of J&K. His demise has sent a shock wave in J&K too, Prof. Singh added.
State president Shri Ram Sena, Rajiv Mahajan has expressed his grief and shock over the demise of Jaitley. He prayed for peace to departed soul and courage to bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.
National Mazdoor Conference (NMC) president Subash Shastri has condoled the untimely demise of former Union Minister and senior BJP leader, Arun Jaitley. In a statement issued here, Shastri called Jaitley one of the tallest leaders of the country while recounting his contributions to the nation as a Union Minister during the Atal Behari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi Governments.
Rajesh Gupta, president, National Democratic Party Indian (NDPI) has also expressed his grief over the demise of Jaitley. The party held a meeting here in which profound grief and shock was expressed over the demise of Jaitley. Gupta said Jaitley was a great orator, a loyal worker and a popular public representative who has left an indelible mark on Indian politics.
All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS) has also expressed its deep shock and grief over the demise of Jaitley a great visionary and dynamic leader in whose death India has suffered a great loss.
In its condolence message AIKS said Jaitley’s contribution to country, to the NDA Government and to BJP over many decades will remain unparalleled. His sharp mind, grasp of political, organisational and official matters was so complete and deep that others found it difficult to match his articulation. The country is poorer by his passing away.
It said AIKS is particularly saddened by his departure because he had chosen to fight our PIL in Supreme Court concerning to many issues of exiled Pandits.
All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) president, Advocate Ravinder Raina has also expressed his shock over the demise of Jaitley and termed it a great loss to nation.
Kashmiri Pandit Sabha (KPS) president, K K Khosa while condoling the demise of Jaitley said the void created by his sudden passing away will be very difficult to fill up. Khosa, while recalling roll of former Union Minister said he was a great statesman, orator, a lawyer and above all a patriot who had special love for the people of J&K.
Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC) president, Kundan Kashmiri has also condoled the demise of Jaitley and said that it is a great national loss.
Shiban Khybri a well known writer and freelancer while condoling the demise of Jaitley said people of India will always remember him for his oratory skills, statesmanship and positive approach in solving the contentious issues.
State secretary, ABVP, Deepak Gupta said that in the demise of Arun Jaitley the nation has lost a great leader and ABVP has lost a very organisational Kariakrta who used to care about the organisational working.
ABVP State secretary, Deepak Gupta said Jaitley was a dynamic leader who not only contributed a lot in drafting national polices in Modi Government, major laws like GST, demonetization etc were implemented in his tenure as Finance Minister.
Former Minister and founder president Aromatic Plants Growers Association of India, Thakur Randhir Singh has also condoled the demise of Jaitley and recalled his services to nation as a student leader as well as BJP leader and later Minister in NDA Governments. He said his demise is a great loss to nation and J&K State with which he had a great love and association. He was a political leader who was known for his governing skills and nation will always remember him.
Dogra Brahman Pratinidhi Sabha (DBPS) held a condolence meeting under the presidentship of Ved Prakash Sharma its president to condole the demise of Jaitley.
Tawi Andolan converner, Chander Mohan Sharma a close associate of Jaitley, besides Ex DC, B S Jamwal and senior advocate, Subash Shastri and others paid rich tributes to former Union Minister and recalled his contributions to nation.
BJP leader, Raman Suri has also expressed his grief over the sudden demise of Jaitley and termed it a great loss to nation as well as his party. He said it is also a great loss to the people of Jammu as Jaitley had a special place for Jammu in his heart.
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