Arun Jaitley: The man behind DeMo, GST

FormerFinance Minister Arun Jaitley passed away at the AIIMS today. He was admittedin AIIMS since August 9.

Jaitleywas a prominent lawyer and one the most important leader in the cabinet of PrimeMinister Narendra Modi's first tenure. During his tenure as Finance Minister,the NDA government has launched the GST system and announced the demonetization.

He wasthe Finance Minister, who announced the Ayushman Bharat Scheme during his 2015-16budget speech. Jaitley was also the Minister of Defence in Narendra Modi'sfirst tenure.

A leaderof Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Jaitley became the president ofthe Students Union of Delhi University in 1974. He was also under preventivedetention for a period of 19 months, during the period of Emergency. Just afterbeing released from jail, he joined the Jana Sangh.

Later, Jaitley became the president of Delhi ABVP and all India secretary of the organisation in 1977. After the BJP was formed, Arun Jaitley had been appointed as the president of the youth wing of the party.

Jaitleywas appointed as additional solicitor general by the VP Singh government in1989. He was a part of the investigation into the Bofors scandal.

In1990, the Delhi High Court designated Jaitley as a senior advocate.Interestingly, he wanted to become a Chartered Accountant, before starting hiscareer as a lawyer.

Jaitleybecame the spokesperson BJP before the 1999 Lok Sabha Election. He was also theleader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.