Arun Jaitley passed away on August 24 last year after battling multiple health issues.

On the first death anniversary of former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said he misses his friend “a lot” and heaped praise on him for his contributions to the country.

"On this day, last year, we lost Shri Arun Jaitley Ji. I miss my friend a lot. Arun Ji diligently served India. His wit, intellect, legal acumen and warm personality were legendary," PM Modi said in a tweet.

Remembering the former Finance Minister, Rajnath Singh tweeted “Jaitleyji was a stalwart who made a big contribution towards BJP’s growth and rise to power. He made a mark as a successful lawyer, seasoned parliamentarian and effective administrator. I offer my heartfelt tributes to him.”

Home Minister Amit Shah said Jaitley had no “parallels in Indian polity.” “Remembering Arun Jaitley ji, an outstanding politician, prolific orator and a great human being who had no parallels in Indian polity. He was multifaceted and a friend of friends, who will always be remembered for his towering legacy, transformative vision and devotion to nation,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in a tweet.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, said the late former Finance Minister shall always be remembered for his contribution in making India a single market. And that the best tribute we can pay him is by recounting the benefits of the Goods and Service Tax (GST).

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta paid tributes to Arun Jaitley and tweeted, “We miss his erudition, his sharp analysis and his amazing powers of persuasion. I miss his wicked humour, his irreverence and his loyal friendship.”

Jaitley’s contribution as the finance minister

Under Arun Jaitley, Modi government was able to launch various economic reforms. These included demonetisation and implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The modi government merged the railway budget with the general budget, the decision to advance the date to February 1 was taken with Jaitley as the finance minister. He also introduced Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code to resolve the issues with companies that were turning insolvent. IBC has played a key role in the corporate sector in recent times. 

Jaitley was seen as a key player much before Amit Shah emerged on the national scene.  He was in charge of states such as Gujarat since 2002, besides Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Assam and West Bengal.

Jaitley had contributed in a major way to the BJP and the government for nearly 20 years.