Arun Jaitley to be Cremated With State Honours

Formerfinance minister and BJP veteran Arun Jaitley who died on Saturday will becremated with state honours on Sunday at Nigambodh Ghat in New Delhi.

Themortal remains of the former minister will be kept at BJP headquarters in NewDelhi between 10.30 am and 1 pm where party workers and leaders will paytributes.

TheBJP in an official tweet said, "The last rites of Jaitley will be performed at2.30 pm."

PrimeMinister Narendra Modi, who was in Bahrain on Saturday turned emotional at anevent remembering his friend Arun Jaitley when he heard about the demise of hisfriend. "I can't imagine that I am so far here while my friend has gone away. Somedays ago, we lost our former External Affairs Minister Sushma ji and today Ihave lost my friend. My deepest condolences to the kin of the deceased," saidModi.

TheBJP veteran died on Saturday at 12.07 pm at AIIMS in New Delhi. He was admittedto the hospital since August 9 after he complained of breathlessness andrestlessness.

Jaitley, a lawyer by profession, had been an important part in PM Modi's cabinet in the BJP government's first term. He held the finance and defence portfolios, and often acted as the chief troubleshooter of the government. During his tenure as finance minister, he led the enactment of a bankruptcy code and the Goods and Services Tax or GST.