Sushma Swaraj, former Foreign Minister, passes away at 67

Senior BJP leader and former foreign minister Sushma Swaraj today died of heart attack at AIIMS. She was 67. Former minister of foreign affiars, Sushma Swaraj, who was the Bharatiya Janata Party’s most prominent woman face, did not contest the recently held Lok Sabha elections. In November 2018, she had announced that she would not contest the general elections.

The senior BJP leader today admitted to AIIMS, in a critical condition. Hospital sources stated that she was brought to AIIMS at 10:20 pm and was straight away taken to the emergency ward. Swaraj had a kidney transplant in 2016.

Top BJP leaders and Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani, Ashwini Choubey and Harsh Vardhan have reached AIIMS, where Swaraj was admitted after suffering heart attack.

In her last Twitter post today, she had thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the government’s move on Kashmir, scrapping Article 370, stating that she was waiting for this day in her lifetime.

Her last Twitter post 

प्रधान मंत्री जी - आपका हार्दिक अभिनन्दन. मैं अपने जीवन में इस दिन को देखने की प्रतीक्षा कर रही थी. @narendramodi ji - Thank you Prime Minister. Thank you very much. I was waiting to see this day in my lifetime.

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 6, 2019

PM Modi condoled her death stating, Sushma Ji’s demise is a personal loss. She will be remembered fondly for everything that she’s done for India. My thoughts are with her family, supporters and admirers in this very unfortunate hour. Om Shanti. 

Sushma Ji’s demise is a personal loss. She will be remembered fondly for everything that she’s done for India. My thoughts are with her family, supporters and admirers in this very unfortunate hour. Om Shanti.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 6, 2019

In another tweet, he said, "I can’t forget the manner in which Sushma Ji worked tirelessly as EAM in the last 5 years. Even when her health was not good, she would do everything possible to do justice to her work and remain up to date with matters of her Ministry. The spirit and commitment was unparalleled."

"An excellent administrator, Sushma Ji set high standards in every Ministry she handled. She played a key role in bettering India’s ties with various nations. As a Minister we also saw her compassionate side, helping fellow Indians who were in distress in any part of the world," he termed her.

He added, Sushma Ji was a prolific orator and outstanding Parliamentarian. She was admired and revered across party lines. 
She was uncompromising when it came to matters of ideology and interests of the BJP, whose growth she immensely contributed to.

A seven-time MP and a three-time MLA, Swaraj became the youngest cabinet minister of Haryana at the age of 25 in 1977. She also became the Chief Minister of Delhi and was the Leader of Opposition during the UPA II regime.

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She had truly struck a chord with young and old alike with her round-the-clock social media presence, eagerness to help, and ready wit on social media in her stint as the MEA in the NDA-1 regime.

The Congress party has condoled her death and tweeted, "We are saddened to hear about the untimely demise of Smt Sushma Swaraj. Our condolences to her family and loved ones."