Vice President Venkaiah Naidu condoles Jaitley's demise, terms it personal loss

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said former Union finance minister Arun Jaitley's death was an "irreparable loss" to the nation and a "personal loss" to him. Jaitley died at AIIMS on Saturday after a prolonged illness.

"I am deeply shocked to learn about the demise of 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," the condolence message from Naidu said. He said Jaitley was an outstanding parliamentarian, legal luminary, towering intellectual, an able administrator and a man of "impeccable integrity".

"Jaitley distinguished himself by effectively handling important portfolios as Union minister in the cabinets of A B Vajpayee and Narendra Modi," the vice president said. He was also a recipient of the Best Parliamentarian Award, he said "Jaitley strove hard and burnt the midnight oil to bring about a consensus across the political spectrum in ushering the revolutionary GST regime in the country. He made an immense contribution to public discourse on various issues from time to time," he added.