Arun Jaitley's demise a loss to family, legal system and nation: Abhishek Manu Singhvi

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Saturday expressed shock and grief at the demise of former finance minister Arun Jaitley.

"Arun Jaitley's demise is a great loss to the BJP, the legal system which has lost an excellent advocate and the nation which has lost a matured and large-hearted person," Singhvi told reporters here.

"Jaitleyji had invited me to his house for a meeting at 6 pm on August 10. He used to meet two or three persons daily, not more than that. Unfortunately, that meeting could not take place as on August 9 he was admitted to AIIMS, from where he could not get out alive," Singhvi added.

Recounting his meetings and trysts with the senior BJP leader during the course of their legal careers, Singhvi said, "If I remember correctly the first time I faced him in the court was in 1985, when I opposed him in the Indian Express case and then we opposed each other countless times in the Delhi High Court and in the Supreme Court as well. He had a finesse, a man of very few words who could convince even the people who were suspicious to think about what he was saying."

Singhvi added that Jaitley had carried the same finesse and way with words which he used in his legal career into Parliament as well.

"In the Rajya Sabha, he always used to come prepared, cut through the details with his analysis. It was wonderful to see him speak, although a man of very few words he used to add humour and hard-hitting facts in them," he said.

Singhvi added that he was saddened by the demise of his BJP counterpart and expressed his condolences to the aggrieved family.

"I am very saddened to hear about his demise, my condolences to his family and the other near and dear ones. I do not think 66 is the right time for a person to go, however, it is a huge loss to the BJP as well," he added.

The former Union Minister passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here on Saturday afternoon.

His last rites will be conducted on August 25 at the Nigambodh ghat here.