Jaitley attends proceedings in Rajya Sabha for first time after surgery

Union Minister Arun Jaitley attended the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha for the first time after undergoing a kidney transplant on May 14.

Jaitley, also the leader of the Rajya Sabha, had been recuperating after surgery. In his absence, Piyush Goyal was given the charge of the finance and corporate ministry portfolios.

Jaitley came to the House in the morning to take part in the election to the deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha and later spoke in his capacity as the leader of the House to felicitate the newly-elected Deputy Chairman Harivansh. 

Members of Parliament cutting across party lines welcomed him back in the House by thumping their desks. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu also asked MPs not to go near Jaitley in order to avoid any contraction of infection.

While welcoming him, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad suggested he should take more rest. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who joined the House after completion of the voting process, said: "I am happy that the Leader of the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley is present today" and recovering. As the PM approached Jaitley to shake his hand, the Union minister politely folded his hands to do a namaskar. Jaitley also accompanied Harivansh to the designated seat of Deputy Chairman in the House, which is next to that of the Leader of Opposition.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, while moving two resolutions to his ministry, Finance Minister Goyal said: “I want to inform the House that Arunji  is in good health and soon he shall be with us.”