india

Updated: Jan 29, 2019 12:00 IST

Former defence minister George Fernandes died on Tuesday morning in Delhi. He had been ailing for the past few years. He was 88 years old.

Fernandes, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, had been bed-ridden for more than eight years, family sources said.

He had a cold and cough and was taken to the Max Hospital in Saket by his wife, Liela Fernandes, earlier in the day, when doctors said that the veteran leader was already dead.

His son, who lives in New York, is expected back in a day or two, after which the funeral will take place, the sources said, according to IANS.

The last rites of the former parliamentarian will be performed tomorrow in New Delhi. News agency ANI quoted former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitly, who worked closely with the former defence minister, as saying, “Last rites of George Fernandes to be held tomorrow after the arrival of his son. Right now, the body is being embalmed.”

Jaitly claimed that George Fernandes wished to buried after the death. “He had expressed his wished earlier to be cremated but during his last days, he said he wanted to be buried. So, we will cremate the body and bury the ashes, to fulfil both his wishes,” she said.

Bihar government announced two-day state mourning on the death of George Fernandes. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Fernandes were party colleagues in the Janata Dal (United) for several years. Fernandes, who was part of the Janata Dal in 1989-90, formed his own political outfit, the Samata Party in 1994. Fernandes merged his Samata Party with the Janata Dal (United) in 2003. Nitish Kumar is the president of the Janata Dal (United) or the JD(U).

Born on June 3, 1930, George Fernandes was, at the age of 16, sent to train as a priest, but his calling was different. He moved to Bombay in 1949 and got involved in the socialist trade union movement. Known to be a firebrand unionist and a fiery orator, he organized many strikes and bandhs there.

One strike that is remembered even now was the railways strike in 1974, where the entire nation was brought to a halt. Workers from all over the country joined the strike. It was later called off amid reports of ‘divisions’ in the union.

In 1967, he defeated Congress veteran S K Patil in parliamentary elections from the South Bombay and went on to win eight more Lok Sabha elections, last being in 2004.

Fernandes went underground during the Emergency imposed in 1975 during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s rule and was arrested and tried in Baroda dynamite case, where he and 24 others were charge with smuggling dynamite to blow up government establishments and railway tracks in protest against state of Emergency.

George Sahab represented the best of India’s political leadership.



Frank and fearless, forthright and farsighted, he made a valuable contribution to our country. He was among the most effective voices for the rights of the poor and marginalised.



Saddened by his passing away. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 29, 2019

In 1977, after the Emergency was lifted, Fernandes won the Muzaffarpur seat in Bihar while in jail. The Janata Party and its allies came to power, headed by Morarji Desai, who became the first non-Congress Prime Minister of India. Fernandes was appointed as Union Minister for Industries.

During his tenure as union minister, he ordered American multinationals IBM and Coca-Cola to leave the country, due to alleged investment violations. He was the driving force behind the Konkan Railway project during his tenure as railway minister from 1989 to 1990. George

When we think of Mr. George Fernandes, we remember most notably the fiery trade union leader who fought for justice, the leader who could humble the mightiest of politicians at the hustings, a visionary Railway Minister and a great Defence Minister who made India safe and strong. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 29, 2019

During his long years in public life, George Sahab never deviated from his political ideology. He resisted the Emergency tooth and nail. His simplicity and humility were noteworthy. My thoughts are with his family, friends and lakhs of people grieving. May his soul rest in peace. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 29, 2019

He was a defence minister in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government (1998–2004), when the Kargil War broke out between India and Pakistan, and India conducted its nuclear tests at Pokhran.

Following Kargil war, allegations surfaced about a scam in procurment of coffins, forcing Fernandes, then defence minister, to step down in 2004 . However, two commissions of inquiry absolved him in the case.

Fernandes’ last presence in Parliament was as a Rajya Sabha member in 2009-2010.