India's ailing finance minister quits government

Published May 29, 2019
Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says he would "like to keep away from any responsibility” and focus on his health and treatment. — AFP/File
Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says he would "like to keep away from any responsibility” and focus on his health and treatment. — AFP/File

India's influential but ailing finance minister Arun Jaitley announced on Wednesday that he would not serve in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new Hindu nationalist government because of poor health.

Modi is set to be sworn in on Thursday after winning a second landslide election and should name his new cabinet shortly after.

Jaitley, 66, a key member of the last government, said in a letter to Modi he released on Twitter that he would “like to keep away from any responsibility” so he could concentrate on his health and treatment.

Jaitley underwent a kidney transplant in May last year and in February travelled to the United States for surgery after being diagnosed with cancer.

“I am writing to you to formally request you that I should be allowed a reasonable time for myself, my treatment and my health and therefore not be a part of any responsibility, for the present, in the new government,” he added in the letter.

Jaitley also hailed the “spectacular win” of Modi's right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the six-week election that ended last week.

The BJP swept 303 of the 542 contested parliamentary seats to win a second five-year term.

A lawyer-turned-politician, Jaitley guided the government's rollout of a complex nationwide tax and often acted as a spokesman on contentious issues.

Railways minister Piyush Goyal, who stepped in for Jaitley to present an interim budget in February, and BJP president Amit Shah are in contention for Jaitley's job, media reports said.

India is the world's sixth largest economy and although it has been growing at about seven per cent a year, it is showing signs of a slowdown.

Modi, 68, has invited the heads of countries who are in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Maritime and Economic Co-operation (BIMSTEC) to the swearing-in.

India's archrival neighbour Pakistan is not a part of the alliance and so Modi avoided inviting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...