New Delhi: “Don’t worry Mr Nariman (Fali Nariman), your young junior Mr Jaitley has very admirably and brilliantly filled in your shoes,” these were the words of praise by Justice AP Sen in 1982, for former Finance Minister and noted lawyer Arun Jaitley.
The aforementioned lines were quoted by Lok Sabha MP from Puri, Pinaki Misra while he was addressing a condolence meeting for Jaitley at New Delhi today. Misra was in attendance on behalf of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
While remembering his acquaintances with Jaitley, the BJD MP, said that his first meeting with the former FM was in 1982. Jaitley was then handling the case of Indian Express as a Junior Lawyer under Nariman.
“I was still a law student then and Arun Ji was a junior lawyer. We were part of a team which was handling the Indian Express demolition case. The entire might of the Indira Gandhi Government was against us,” said Misra.
During the same hearing (mentioned above), Nariman graciously sat beside and Jaitley argued till lunch. “We succeeded in that case,” said Misra.
“That brilliance of intellect and sparkling argumentative spirit of Arun Ji placed him in good stead till the last day. Apart from that he added a refinement in language and thought, which is so very lacking in public life today,” he added.
Misra went on to say that every moment he spent with Jaitley was rewarding and enriching. “Every time one met him, he or she would have a new vision, an anecdote or a new story and hope.”
Jaitley was full of optimism and always laughed heartily. He was a tall and towering personality, and it is almost impossible to fill in the void he left behind, Misra concluded.