File Picture Courtesy : Deccan Herald
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, one of the most important members of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi cabinet, is suffering from a kidney ailment may have to undergo a surgery soon, resulting in cancellation of a visit to London next week for annual economic talks
Jaitley, 65, is undergoing diagnostic tests and doctors have so far indicated that it was a kidney-related ailment.
The minister, however, has not yet been hospitalised but has been advised to avoid going out in public for fear of infection.
Arun Jaitley Tweeted his current health status in his Twitter handle
I am being treated for kidney related problems & certain infections that I have contracted. I am therefore currently working from controlled environment at home. The future course of my treatment would be determined by the doctors treating me.
— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) April 5, 2018
According to various media reports, he has not been attending office since Monday and even skipped taking oath after being re-elected as Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh. As many as 55 out of the 58 newly-elected or re-elected Members of Parliament (MPs) took oath of office since April 3. Jaitley was one of the three members who haven’t taken oath.
His ill-health has led to cancellation of domestic public appearances as well as foreign visits. While he did not appear at at least two public events in the past one week where he was listed as a speaker, Jaitley’s visit to London next week has been cancelled.
The minister, who last month skipped a meeting of finance ministers from the group of 20 countries in Argentina, was to attend the 10th UK-India Economic And Financial Dialogue in London next week. He was scheduled to deliver a talk on ‘Looking Ahead to 2022: India’s Global Vision’ at Chatham House, a policy think tank, on April 12. The talk has been cancelled.
