A human being with a golden heart: Solicitor General on Arun Jaitley

New Delhi, Aug 25: With the passing away of Arun Jaitley, the country has lost a brilliant parliamentarian, an intelligent statesman and a legal luminary whose advise was trusted by all in public life across the political divide, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said.

Jaitley, 66, who opted out of the Modi 2.0 government over health issues, died at AIIMS here after being admitted on August 9 following complaints of breathlessness and restlessness.

"It is a great loss for the nation, the Indian polity and the legal fraternity," Mehta told PTI, condoling the former Union Minister's demise.

The Solicitor General said Jaitley always left a lasting imprint on anyone he came in touch with and as a senior advocate, guided his political and professional colleagues with mature legal advice and "stood by them during the most adverse circumstances".

"He will be remembered as a sane voice, a dependable friend, an intelligent statesman and a legal luminary whose sound legal advise was trusted by all persons in public life across the political divide," Mehta added.

Mehta described Jaitley as "a human being with a golden heart, a statesman without malice against anyone, a senior advocate par excellence and an orator with the rare gift of articulation".