New Delhi, Aug 24 (PTI) Former Union minister Vijay Goel paid rich tributes to his "multi-faceted" friend Arun Jaitley on Saturday and recalled the departed leader's fondness for good food.
Jaitley, a former Union finance minister and a senior leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), passed away on Saturday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, where he was undergoing treatment.
Goel, who knew Jaitley for nearly five decades, said he lost a "friend, colleague and guide" in his demise.
"I first met him in 1971 at the Sri Ram College of Commerce, where he was my senior. He was the president of the college students' union, while I was the secretary. Our relationship started as Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists and lasted for 48 years," the BJP leader said.
Recalling Jaitley's fondness for good food, he said, "He loved paranthas very much. Whenever he visited my haveli (Dharampura Haveli) at Chandni Chowk, he would ask for paranthas."
Jaitley spent 19 months in jail during the Emergency in the 1970s for taking out a protest march, the Rajya Sabha MP said, adding that journalist Rajat Sharma and he himself soon followed suit.
During his college days, Jaitley would go on outings to Shimla and Mussoorie, he said, adding that the former finance minister used to go to the Lodhi Gardens here for morning walk and regularly interacted with fellow morning-walkers over tea at a spot, which came to be known as the "Jaitley corner".
As a Union minister, Jaitley deftly handled important portfolios such as defence, and finance among others, Goel, who was his cabinet colleague in the first term of the Narendra Modi government, said.
"He made special contributions in demonetisation, GST, macro-stabilisation, bank consolidation and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in the Modi government," he said.
In the party organisation as well as in the government, Jaitley always offered his wise counsel to younger colleagues, Goel said, adding that the void created by his demise would be very hard to fill.
The Week- Vijay Goel pays tributes to Jaitley recalls long association with departed leader
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People Says
Vijay Goel is a national leader with wider vision and worked on the ground in Delhi.
Shantanu Gupta
No cricket with Pak until terrorism stops, says sports minister Vijay Goel Finally! Kudos for a much needed call!
Amrita Bhinder
Simply will appreciate Vijay Goel’s working style, witnessed his personal attention to west Delhi – Paschim Vihar ppl even at late hours.
Neerja
One must appreciate how Vijay Goel is working so hard and looking out for all sports. One can feel the change. Best wishes!
Saurabh Thapliyal
Vijay on Issues
Delhi Villages Delhi has 369 villages which, though called as Urban Villages but, continue to suffer from developmental inequalities. The basic infrastructure is in such a sorrow state that some villages
Education is a progressive discovery of our ignorance. Hence it’s imperative in the interest of societal development that its children and youth are well educated. It’s a shame that Delhi despite being the capital of India is not fully literate whereas a small state like Kerala has attained 100% literacy.
Wateris vital for the existence of life but we need to realize that like all the other resources it is not unlimited and, going by the experts’ opinion, the next war could be fought because of it.
Youth Development Youth is the backbone of our country’s progress and we all need to work towards their overall development. Apart from providing training & employment in traditional careers I have always encouraged active youth participation in politics.
Housing To own a home, irrespective of the size, is a dream cherished by many. I understand this sentiment and that is why I championed the cause to help protect the applicants who were promised homes and felt cheated by the Delhi government.
Power is one of the basic amenities of life happens to be a matter of great concern for the citizens of Delhi. Faulty meters, power shortage and inflated power bills are the most common grievances faced by every other citizen.
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Chandni Chowk I have a keen interest in exploring and learning about culture, traditions and Heritage. Chandni Chowk, my former parliamentary constituency, is a perfect example of the multicultural and multi-religious India.
Youth Development Youth is the backbone of our country’s progress and we all need to work towards their overall development. Apart from providing training & employment in traditional careers I have always encouraged active youth participation in politics.
Vijay's Initiatives
Recycling toys-recycling smiles.
ll वरिष्ठ नागरिकों का सम्मान, हमारी संस्कृति की पहचान ll
