New Delhi:
Former finance minister and BJP veteran Arun Jaitley, who breathed his last at 12.07 pm on Saturday, was cremated with full state honours at Nigambodh Ghat today. The last rites were performed by Jaitley's son Rohan Jaitley. The 66-year-old senior leader died at Delhi AIIMS after battling multiple health issues for the last several months. He had been admitted to the hospital since August 9 and was undergoing treatment for several ailment, including breathlessness.
On Saturday noon, after completion of required formalities at AIIMS, Jaitley's body was taken to his Kailash Colony residence in Delhi, where top politicians, cutting across party lines, paid rich tributes and remembered his significant contributions in the arena of politics. At around 9:30 am today, his mortal remains left for the BJP headquarters where leaders from across the political spectrum paid respects. From BJP headquarters, the body was taken to the Nigambodh Ghat, where the last rites took place around 03:20 pm this afternoon.
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Here are the LIVE Updates on the last rites of Arun Jaitley:
03:24 pm: Former finance minister and BJP veteran Arun Jaitley is cremated with full state honours at Nigambodh Ghat.
02:22 pm: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Home Minister Amit Shah reach at Nigambodh Ghat.
02:06 pm: Former Union Minister and BJP leader Arun Jaitley to be cremated with full state honours at Nigambodh Ghat shortly.
01:52 pm: Mortal remains of former Union Minister and BJP leader Arun Jaitley being taken to Nigambodh Ghat where the cremation will take place.
Delhi: Mortal remains of former Union Minister and BJP leader #ArunJaitley being taken to Nigambodh Ghat where the cremation will take place. pic.twitter.com/w9XFaC1dWt
— ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2019
01:26 pm: Arun Jaitley's mortal remains left BJP headquarters, on the way to Nigambodh Ghat where last rites will be taking place later this afternoon.
12:32 pm: Union Ministers Harsh Vardhan and Piyush Goyal and Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das pay last respects to Former Union Minister and BJP leader Arun Jaitley at BJP headquarters.
12:24 pm: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pays tributes to former Union Minister Arun Jaitley at BJP headquarters.
12:05 pm: WATCH: Preparations underway for Arun Jaitley's last rites at Nigam Bodh Ghat in Delhi. The former defence minister will be cremated with full state honours later this afternoon.
Preparations underway for Arun Jaitley's last rites at Nigam Bodh Ghat in Delhi. The former defence minister will be cremated with full state honours later this afternoon.
— News Nation (@NewsNationTV) August 25, 2019
More updates: https://t.co/fBFVuy1vj4 pic.twitter.com/3Ply52EppU
11:11 am: Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National Working President JP Nadda pay respects to former finance minister Arun Jaitley at party office.
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
10:54 am: Arun Jaitley's mortal remains are brought to the BJP headquarters.
Delhi: Mortal remains of Former Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader #ArunJaitley brought to party headquarters. pic.twitter.com/ew1XADcfj4
— ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2019
10:30 am: Home Minister Amit Shah reaches BJP Office in Delhi.
10:16 am: Puducherry Governor Kiran Bedi pays last respects to Arun Jaitley.
Our collective Homage and Prayers for @arunjaitley ji and his family.
— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) August 25, 2019
I recall how he convinced me to include electoral politics as components of my public service in 2014. Rest is history.
Thanku Mr Jaitley. OM Shanti. 🙠pic.twitter.com/CWsT9ld29t
09:55 am: Scores of supporters throng Delhi streets to catch a single glimpse of their beloved leader and chant slogans - "May Arun Jaitley remain immortal".
09:51 am: Jaitley's mortal remains is being taken to BJP office in a gun carriage that is usually used for Prime Ministers, Presidents and Defence Ministers.
09:45 am: BJP working president JP Nadda arrives at BJP headquarters in Delhi. Arun Jaitley's body to be reached shortly.
09:38 am: Arun Jaitley's mortal remains leave from his Kailash Colony residence for BJP headquarters.
Delhi: Mortal remains of Former Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader (BJP) #ArunJaitley being taken to BJP headquarters. pic.twitter.com/kJ1DOFqU4t
— ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2019
09:25 am: British High Commissioner to India Sir Dominic Asquith has paid a visit to Arun Jaitley's residence, says he was a man that many people in Britain treasured, knew well, worked with, valued him for his wisdom, gentleness and humour. He will be much missed.
09:18 am: Opposition leaders have started arriving at Jaitley's residence to pay their tributes.
Delhi: Senior Congress leader Motilal Vohra, NCP leaders Sharad Pawar & Praful Patel, RLD leader Ajit Singh and Former Andhra Pradesh CM & TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu arrive at the residence of Former Union Minister & BJP leader Arun Jaitley to pay their last respects to him. pic.twitter.com/X0jW3kc67d
— ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2019
09:14 am: Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has paid his last respects to Arun Jaitley at his residence.
09:10 am: Security has been tightened outside the BJP headquarters in Delhi where Jaitley's body will be kept till 01:00 pm in the afternoon.
09:08 am: NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena leader Arvind Sawant arrived at Arun Jaitley's residence.
09:05 am: BJP leaders Shiv Pratap Shukla and Kailash Vijayvargiya reach Jaitley's house to pay respects.
09:02 am: Jaitley's mortal remains to be taken to BJP headquarters by Army's special vehicle soon.
09:00 am: Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore reaches Arun Jaitley's residence to pay last respects.
08:45 am: Security has been beefed up outside Arun Jaitley's residence. Preparations started for last rites.
08:39 am: Bollywood actress and BJP MP Hema Malini reaches Jaitley's Kailash Colony residence to pay her respects.
08:33 am: The army vehicle, in which Jaitley's body will be taken to the BJP headquarters, has reached his Delhi residence.
08:10 am: Jaitley's body will be kept at the BJP headquarters in Delhi today between 10:30 am and 1:00 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.
पारà¥à¤Ÿà¥€ के वरिषà¥à¤ नेता और à¤à¤¾à¤°à¤¤ सरकार के पूरà¥à¤µ वितà¥à¤¤ मंतà¥à¤°à¥€ आदरणीय अरà¥à¤£ जेटली जी का पारà¥à¤¥à¤¿à¤µ शरीर पà¥à¤°à¤¾à¤¤à¤ƒ 10:30 बजे से दोपहर 1 बजे तक पारà¥à¤Ÿà¥€ मà¥à¤–à¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤²à¤¯ में अंतिम दरà¥à¤¶à¤¨ के लिठलाया जाà¤à¤—ा। pic.twitter.com/bdP1pjypGd
— BJP (@BJP4India) August 24, 2019
08:05 am: The mortal remains of Arun Jaitley will be taken to the BJP headquarters by a Army vehicle soon.
08:00 am: Sonia Gandhi has penned an emotional letter to Jaitley's wife Sangeeta Jaitley, remembering his sharp intellect and ability and his significant communication skills in every cabinet position he held.
07:49 am: Those who reached Jaitley's Kailash Colony residence to pay their tributes, include - President Ram Nath Kovind, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, EAM S Jaishankar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, former Haryana chief minister Bhupender Singh Hooda, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi among others.
READ | In Pics: From student leader to BJP’s stalwart, Arun Jaitley's political journey
07:45 am: Top politicians from across party lines hailed his significant contributions to the nation in various capacities recalling his deep intellect, poise and passion.
07:41 am: As soon as Modi was conveyed the message on Jaitley's death, he spoke to his wife Sangeeta Jaitley and son Rohan Jaitley, but was insisted not to cut short his visit to UAE.
07:30 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who left for his three-nation visit on August 22, will not be present at Arun Jaitley's cremantion ceremony on Sunday afternoon.
