Vijay Goel pays tributes to Jaitley, recalls long association with departed leader

Former Union minister Vijay Goel paid rich tributes to his "multi-faceted" friend Arun Jaitley on Saturday and recalled the departed leader's fondness for good food.

Jaitley, a former Union finance minister and a senior leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), passed away on Saturday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, where he was undergoing treatment.

Goel, who knew Jaitley for nearly five decades, said he lost a "friend, colleague and guide" in his demise.

"I first met him in 1971 at the Sri Ram College of Commerce, where he was my senior. He was the president of the college students' union, while I was the secretary. Our relationship started as Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists and lasted for 48 years," the BJP leader said.

Recalling Jaitley's fondness for good food, he said, "He loved paranthas very much. Whenever he visited my haveli (Dharampura Haveli) at Chandni Chowk, he would ask for paranthas."