Published 17:51 IST, August 24th 2019
Arun Jaitley's iconic & argumentative blogs: Read eleven of his best
Arun Jaitley’s blog is a repository of prolifically written and deeply analysed works on a variety of topics of public, political and national importance.
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Former Union Minister Arun Jaitley, 66, passed away at AIIMS in New Delhi on Saturday, August 24 and will be remembered as a rewned lawyer, an astute politician and a public figure who steered reform of various kinds through several deces. former Finance Minister was always vocal about matters he believed in and often blogged about key issues that mattered to nation. former Finance Minister was active in politics since his student days. Jaitley went on to become one of BJP’s senior-most leers and played a crucial role in Prime Minister Modi's cabinet during his first tenure. Former Union Minister h many accomplishments to his name-- he t only held all-important portfolios of Union Finance Minister and Defence Minister in Narendra Modi’s first term at Centre, but was also leer of house in Rajya Sabha for Narendra Modi Government.
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Arun Jaitley’s blog is a repository of prolifically written and deeply analysed works on a variety of topics of public, political and national importance. Here's a list of a few of thought-provoking and comprehensive blogs written by former Finance Minister:
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1. ‘PM Narendra Modi and HM Amit Shah Achieve Impossible’
In last post he wrote on his blog, dated 6th August 2019, former Union Minister opined on how history of Jammu and Kashmir and its special status h been geared towards 'separatism t integration'. Following landmark abrogation of Article 370 by Modi government, he wrote:
"This experiment of special status and handover of State to Sheikh (Abdullah) Sahab and n put Congress Governments in power was a historic blunder. history of past seven deces shows that journey of this separate Status has been towards separatism and t integration. It created a separatist psyche. Pakistan was more than enthusiastic in trying to exploit situation."
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While strongly batting for revocation of Article, Mr. Jaitley through his writing explained “ negative impact of Article 370 and Article 35A on citizens of Kashmir”.
“Any citizen of India could go and settle in Kashmir, make investments and create jobs for development. Today, re are industries, hardly any private sector hospital, credible educational institution set up by private sector. India’s most beautiful State has t h investments from even hotel chains. Consequently, re are new jobs for local people, revenue for State. This gave rise to frustration in all regions of State. se constitutional provisions are t cast in stone. y h to be removed/ diluted through due process of law. Article 35A was t even approved by Parliament or State Assembly. It defied Article 368 which lays down procedure for amending Constitution. It was brought in through back door by an executive tification. It permits discrimination and makes it n-justiciable.”
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2. ‘‘Talaq’ without a Social Security’
As a tall public figure who often steered social reform in our times, Jaitley h been a strong proponent of need to end social evil of Triple Talaq - a cause he espoused and argued on numerous occasions following court verdicts as well as when bill came up for discussion in Parliament. Writing about pass of Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marri) Bill, 2019 which criminalised instant talaq, he reminded everyone that India was “governed by (a) Constitution” that h place for Triple Talaq.
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On his blog, he wrote, " Granting an arbitrary right to a husband to orally and instantaneously divorce his wife and does t deal with any ritual which is in domain of religion. In a society governed by Constitution and rule of law, prima facie, this practice of oral divorce violates both right to equality and right of a woman to live with dignity.."
3. On ‘Mahagathbandhan’
During hectic peak of election campaigning, Jaitley h written on fragility of Mahagathbandhan - moniker given to an attempt to forge an alliance of Opposition parties prior to Lok Sabha 2019 elections which never really transpired.
former Finance Minister put ethos of democracy and governance first in his blog post when he wrote “Coalition of rivals' lasts only a few months. electorate is clear that it wants a five year Government and t a five-month one. It is thus confronted with choice of a Modi vs. Chaos. Obviously, electorates’ wisdom has to be trusted when he makes a choice. 'Modi mandate' could be larger than 2014.”
4. ‘Dynasty a Liability for Congress party?’
Truly a believer in democratic structures, Jaitley often spoke and wrote at length against system of nepotism and dynasties. In one such blog, former Union Minister took on his political opponents on practice of dynastic politics.
He wrote, “When mindsets are feudal, dynasties survive. Dynasties also survive when y are charismatic and have an ability to deliver. A lot of supporters accept subjugation because of ability of dynasty to put m in positions. What happens to dynasties when feudal mindsets change and nations become more aspirational?”
5. ‘Rent a cause campaign’
Arun Jaitley on April 13, 2019, ted how people of India want real issues to be dressed and t those created at cost of nationalism to suit a political narrative.
In post which was widely shared ahe of 17th Lok Sabha election, Jaitley wrote, "One day Pulwama was questioned as self-engineered. next day Balakot was questioned as a n-existent operation. anti-satellite missile was passed off as a Nehruvian contribution. One day BJP is accused of whipping up war hysteria. re is leer, Gathbandhan, Common Minimum Programme and real issue. t surprisingly re are t many takers for a "failed campaign." It is 'Rent a Cause' Campaign."
6. ‘Impact of Demonetisation’
In an erudite piece on day marking 2 years of completion of Demonetisation, Jaitely provided a deep perspective on need and impact of big bold reform with complete clarity for all Indians and world.
He wrote, “Confiscation of currency was t an objective of Demonetisation. Getting it into formal ecomy and making holders pay tax was broer objective. system required to be shaken in order to make India move from cash to digital transactions.This would obviously have an impact on higher tax revenue and a higher tax base.”
7. ‘Paying cost of dynastic character’
Earlier this year, former Cabinet Minister on March 24 wrote about "unfortunate phemen" kwn as 'Dynasties owning political parties'.
In his writing, Jaitley observed, "Dynasties impose leers. se leers don’t become great – greatness is thrust on m. Some suffer from what psychologists w regard as ‘Dunning-Kruger effect.’ y believe that those who suffer from this effect have a bias of illusory superiority which comes from inability of low-ability people to recognise ir lack of ability. Without self-awareness of ir limitations, such low ability people cant objectively evaluate ir own competence or incompetence. This les to ir miscalculation in ir assessment of calibre of highly incompetent ones."
8. ‘India’s Rural Sector’
Jaitely on 4 December 2018 wrote about India’s Rural Sector and his optimism about India’s growth trajectory.
He wrote, “se resources have improved our infrastructure, are improving quality of life of people living rein, have increased agricultural productivity and are intended to give a remunerative price to farmers. past four and half years is just beginning. If this level of investment with its annual increase is continued in rural areas for at least next two deces, we will be close to providing a quality of life and infrastructure in rural areas which is more urban-like.”
9. ‘Why discriminate on basis of Religion’
On January 11, 2014, n-Leer of Opposition in Rajya Sabha wrote an extensive blog post after n Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde’s anuncement that he would be writing to all Chief Minister across India to “review terrorism cases against members of mirity” community.
A true believer in secularism and vocal fighter for protection of it for sake of true implementation of Indian constitution and Indian law, Jaitley wrote, “ directive/visory of Union Home Minister to States to discriminate between criminals on basis of religion is based on an improper policy. It violates constitutional guarantee of equality. It is violative of fundamental principles and provisions of criminal law. States are t bound by such unconstitutional directives of Home Minister.”
10. ‘ NJAC Judgement – An Alternative View’
Penning an alternate view to judgement on NJAC, Jaitley wrote a post on subject on October 15, 2015.
“As someone who has spent more years in court than in Parliament, I feel constrained to speak out for Indian democracy. re is principle in democracy anywhere in world that institutions of democracy are to be saved from elected,” former Union Minister wrote.
Jaitley’s post came from a position that batted both for independence of judiciary and sovereignty of Parliament. Former Union Minister who was witness to both Vajpayee and Modi tenures, wrote, “As someone who is equally concerned about independence of judiciary and sovereignty of India’s Parliament, I believe that two can and must co-exist. Independence of judiciary is an important basic structure of Constitution. To strengn it, one does t have to weaken Parliamentary sovereignty which is t only an essential basic structure but is soul of our democracy.”
11. ‘Pt Nehru and Parliament’
In Winter Session 2015, Rajya Sabha functioned at productivity of approximately 51 per cent, with only 17 per cent of time being used for legislative matters. With only 6 bills being passed in Upper House that Session, Jaitley took to his blog to remind Opposition of words spoken by India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
On December 14, 2015, Jaitley wrote, “ last session of Parliament did t function. current Session of Parliament is also threatened with a washout. reasons for washout of current Session keep changing by hour. nation is waiting for Parliament to discuss public issues, to legislate and approve a historic Constitution Amendment enabling GST. All this is being indefinitely delayed. question we need to ask ourselves is, “are we being fair to ourselves and this country?”
Sharing on his blog that he h re-re speech “on Parliamentary system by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru”, he urged his political opponents to remind mselves of ir “privilege” of being “responsible for governance of India.”
“Those who claim legacy of Pandit ji must ask mselves question, what kind of history are y making,” wrote Jaitley who always stood for sanctity of Parliament and system of democracy in India.
13:40 IST, August 24th 2019