New Delhi: Veteran socialist George Fernandes, who was the defence minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, passed away Tuesday following a prolonged illness, his long time associate Jaya Jaitly said.
He was 88.
Fernandes was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, which had forced him out of the public eye for last many years, and had recently contracted swine flu, she said, adding that he died at his residence here.
“His pulse rate dipped in the morning and he was taken to the hospital. He never came out of the flu that hit him in the last few weeks,” his sister-in-law Dona Fernandes told Onmanorama.
His brother Michael Fernandes and son Tushar are on way to Delhi from Bengaluru, she added.
“The funeral will be most likely held in Delhi after the arrival of his son Sean Fernandes from the US,” she said.
Popular for his anti-Emergency crusades, Fernandes was India's defence minister in the NDA government headed by Vajpayee when India fought the Kargil war in 1999. It was during his tenure that India conducted nuclear test at Pokhran in 1998. His last stint in the parliament was for a year, from 2009-2010, in Rajya Sabha.
He was the industry minister under the Jan Sangh government which had defeated former prime minster Indira Gandhi in 1977.
Born in Mangalore (now Mangaluru), Fernandes started his political career in Mumbai as a trade union leader.
Fernandes became famous as a giant killer when he defeated Congress veteran S K Patil in the latter's bastion in Mumbai in the 1967 Lok Sabha election.
Tributes poured in for the veteran leader, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he was frank and fearless, and never deviated from his ideology.
"A visionary railway minister and a great defence minister who made India safe and strong. 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," the PM said.
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi expressed his condolences to Fernandes' family and friends.
"I'm sorry to hear about the passing away of former Parliamentarian & Union Minister, George Fernandes Ji," he said in a Facebook post.
Founder of Samata Party, Fernandes held many portfolios as a Union Minister during his political career.
His charismatic leadership skills came to limelight during the famous Chikmagalur by-election of 1978, that gave Indira Gandhi re-entry into Parliament after the 1977 set-back.
Fernandes was the ‘chief campaigner’ for Janata Party’s candidate Virendra Patil. While Patil lost, Fernandes made his foothold in politics and powered Janata Party in Karnataka.
Senior journalist Kastur G Vasuki, who covered the career of Fernandes for many years, said Indian politics lost a true solider.
“He was a simple man and people’s minister. Ear on the ground and always working for the common man. I remember driving him two times to the surprise of security personnel in Bengaluru. During one such trip, he asked me to take him to his new office in Srirampuram and I drove him down. Everyone was searching for him then. There are many great memories,” says Vasuki.
“During one trip to Karwar Seabird project site, he went ‘missing’ only to be traced talking to the fishermen without any security around,” Vasuki recalled.
“In the infamous Baroda dynamite case, he once shared some interesting details. He was a great story-teller,” Vasuki, who is also a filmmaker, said.
Reacting to the demise of Fernandes, MoD Spokesperson said the former Defence Minister will be remembered for his bold decisions towards strengthening the forces.
