Former finance minister Arun Jaitley was cremated at the Nigambodh Ghat in New Delhi with full State honours today in the presence of leaders from across the political spectrum and many party workers. The 66-year-old BJP stalwart died at the AIIMS in the national capital on Saturday, where he had been admitted for two weeks. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, BJP veteran LK Advani, party president and Home Minister Amit Shah, party's working president J P Nadda, and Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman and Smriti Irani attended the funeral. Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kapil Sibal were also present at the cremation ground. BJP workers queued up in large numbers outside the party headquarters since morning to pay their last respects to the leader.
Here are the highlights as leaders pay last respect to Arun Jaitley
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Sunday condoled the death of former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. In a condolence letter written to his wife Sangeeta Jaitley, he said: "As a distinguished attorney and public servant Mr. Jaitley dedicated himself to the service of the Indian people. I applaud his sense of public service. At this sad and difficult time, please know that you and your family are in my thoughts."
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday remembered Arun Jaitley, calling him a friend from their college days in Delhi University. "Arun Jaitley and I have known each other since we were students. He was the president of DUSU when I was the president of St Stephens College Student's Union." Mr Tharoor added: "As a minister, he was very impressive. I thought that asking questions to him in Parliament was always rewarding as he gave you serious answers, precisely expressed."
"On behalf of the Government and the people of Japan, I would like to express my deepest and sincerest condolences to the bereaved family and the people of India. Mr Jaitley's great contribution to elevating our bilateral relationship to a new height, during his tenure as minister of Finance and minister of Defence, will be remembered by the people of Japan. He was a true friend of Japan in India," Japanese envoy to India Kenji Hiramatsu on Sunday said.
Delhi: Former Union Minister and BJP leader, #ArunJaitley cremated with full state honours at Nigambodh Ghat, today. pic.twitter.com/Nj2THkdnPv
- ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2019
BJP leaders Amit Shah, Rajnath, Venkaiah Naidu, Om Birla and JP Nadda attend Arun Jaitley's funeral.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, senior ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and an emotional Vice President Venkaiah Naidu at #ArunJaitley's funeral.
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 25, 2019
Read here: https://t.co/z3ahxGu4na pic.twitter.com/TslL74igeg
#ArunJaitley being taken to Nigambodh Ghats from the BJP office. Last rites will take place at 2:30 PM.
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 25, 2019
Read here https://t.co/59yaVbjPTM pic.twitter.com/sJxv7fHU1W
"It is a big loss for the nation": BJP MP Hema Malini on #ArunJaitley's death pic.twitter.com/XmSX09Zmk1
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 25, 2019
The funeral procession is on its way to Nigambodh Ghat.
Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah and National Working President of Bharatiya Janata Party, JP Nadda, pay respects to former Union Minister #ArunJaitley, at party headquarters. pic.twitter.com/IFZDfhR8P4
- ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2019
Delhi: Union Ministers Harsh Vardhan and Piyush Goyal and Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das pay last respects to Former Union Minister and BJP leader #ArunJaitley at BJP headquarters. pic.twitter.com/oaosUCLbG9
- ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2019
Congress' Motilal Vohra, NCP's Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel, RLD's Ajit Singh and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu pay homage to #ArunJaitley at his residence. (ANI)
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 25, 2019
More here https://t.co/59yaVbjPTM pic.twitter.com/o4DDAFSEyJ
Former Union Minister and senior BJP #ArunJaitley being taken to BJP office in Delhi. (ANI)
- NDTV (@ndtv) August 25, 2019
Read here: https://t.co/59yaVbjPTM pic.twitter.com/LehpY6b5wk
His body will be kept at the BJP headquarters in Delhi today between 10:30 am and 1 pm where party workers and leaders will pay tributes. The last rites will take place at the Nigambodh Ghat at 2:30 pm, the BJP said in a tweet.
