CHENNAI: Expressing deep shock and anguish at the passing away of the former finance minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi on Saturday, the DMK president and Opposition leader in the Assembly, M.K.Stalin said in his
untimely death the BJP has not only lost a tall leader, but an astounding parliamentarian and multi-faceted personality.
In a condolence message to members of Jaitley’s family, to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and to the legal fraternity of which Arun Jaitley was a star member as a senior Supreme court advocate, the DMK leader recalled how Jaitley was a true democrat, as borne out from the ‘JP Movement’ days. Jatiley had not only opposed Indira Gandhi’s Emergency, but suffered incarceration in prison for 19 months, pointed out Stalin.
Having ably handled several ministerial portfolios in the Cabinets of both late A. B. Vajpayee and subsequently Narendra Modi, Jaitley had won appreciation as a Central Minister, Stalin said, adding, in the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley had earned the affection of all political party leaders, by the manner in which he coordinated support of Opposition parties on issues as the leader of the opposition, and in garnering support for key Bills in the Upper House as member of the ruling party.
Arun Jaitley had also won the esteem of the judiciary and the lawyers fraternity as an advocate of eminence, Stalin said, adding, his death at the age of 66 is an irreparable loss for the BJP.
On behalf of the DMK and its leader, party MPs Dayanidhi Maran and Tiruchi Siva will be paying their last respects to Sri Arun Jaitley in New Delhi on Sunday.
The DMK in a press release also recalled his multifarious contributions at the Centre, as a Union minister for law & justice, information & broadcasting, defence, corporate affairs & finance.
The DMK also recalled how after the passing away of the former Union commerce minister Murasoli Maran under the Vajpayee regime, Arun Jaitley who succeeded Maran had represented India’s case at WTO on the lines of the vision articulated by Murasoli Maran at Doha meet in 2001.
