Ex-Indian minister Sushma Swaraj passes away
She had been admitted to hospital in a critical condition after suffering a heart attack.
NEW DELHI (Dunya News) – Former Indian external affairs minister and Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj passed away in New Delhi on Tuesday.
According to Indian media reports, she had been admitted to hospital in a critical condition after suffering a heart attack on Tuesday evening. She was 67.
Swaraj, who was for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s most prominent woman face, did not contest the recently held Lok Sabha elections in which the party won with a massive majority. Last November, she had announced she would not contest the general elections.
After PM Modi s swearing-in ceremony last month, Sushma Swaraj wrote an emotional message on Twitter, thanking PM Narendra Modi for giving her the opportunity to hold the office for five years.
About Sushma Swaraj
Sushma Swaraj was an Indian politician and member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. She was the Union Minister for External Affairs in the government of India. She had served as a member of parliament for the sixth term and was the leader of opposition in the 15th Lok Sabha.
She twice became MLA from Haryana during 1977-1982 and 1987-1990, and once from Delhi in 1998. In October 1998 she held the position of the first woman chief minister of Delhi. Her political career graph is a manifestation of her role in Indian politics. She held key positions both as a member of the ruling party and as that of opposition. She is a role model for many such young women who aspire to tread the path of Indian politics.
In 1977, Sushma Swaraj became the youngest cabinet minister, at the age of 25 years. In 1996, during the thirteen-day government under the leadership of Atal Behari Vajpayee, she took a revolutionary step of live telecasting of Lok Sabha debates as the union cabinet minister for Information and Broadcasting. At present Sushma Swaraj is the All India Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party as also the official spokesperson of the party.
Political journey of Sushma Swaraj
- Sushma Swaraj was a member of the National Executive of Janata Party for four years
- For four years she held President position of Janata Party in the state of Haryana
- For two years she remained the all India Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party
- In 1977, Sushma Swaraj was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Haryana when she was sworn in as the Cabinet Minister in Haryana. She became the youngest Cabinet Minister in India and held eight portfolios from 1977 to 1979 that includes Social Welfare, Labour and Employment
- In 1987 Sushma Swaraj was re-elected from the Haryana Legislative Assembly. This time again she became the Cabinet Minister holding the portfolios of Civil Supplies, Food and Education from 1987 to 1990
- In April 1990, Sushma Swaraj was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha
- In 1996 Sushma Swaraj became member of the 11th Lok Sabha for the second term
- In 1996 during the thirteen-day government under the leadership of Atal Behari Vajpayee, she was inducted as the Union Cabinet Minister for Information and Broadcasting. She took a revolutionary step of live telecasting Lok Sabha debates.
- In 1998 she was re-elected as a Member of the 12th Lok Sabha for the third term.
- From 13 October to 3 December 1998, she became the first woman Chief Minister of Delhi.
- In November 1998 she was elected an MLA from Hauz Khas Assembly constituency of Delhi Assembly, but she resigned from the position to retain the Lok Sabha seat.
- In April 2000 Sushma Swaraj was again elected as a Rajya Sabha member.
- From 30 September 2000 to 29 January 2003 she remained the Minister of Information and Broadcasting.
- From 19 March to 12 October 1998, she was the Union Cabinet Minister in the Information and Broadcasting and Telecommunications (additional charge) sector.
- From 29 January 2003 to 22 May 2004, she was the Minister of Health and Family Welfare and also Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.
- In April 2006 she was re-elected as member of Rajya Sabha for the fifth term.
- On 16 May 2009 Sushma Swaraj was elected as a member of the 15th Lok Sabha for the sixth term.
- She became the Deputy Leader of the Opposition on 3 June 2009 in the Lok Sabha.
- On 21 December 2009. Sushma Swaraj became the first woman Leader of the Opposition when she replaced Shri Lal Krishna Advani.
- On May 26, 2014, Sushma Swaraj became the Union Minister for External Affairs in the government of India.
- She has been a member of various committees, such as:
- Committee on Public Undertakings
- Library Committee
- Committee on Subordinate Legislation of Haryana Legislature
- Committee on Government Assurances of the Rajya Sabha
- Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Human Resource Development
- She also held memberships in:
- Hindi Salahakar Samiti of the Ministry of Law & Justice
- Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
- Committee on Ministry of Communications
- General Purposes Committee of Rajya Sabha
- Committee on Televising the proceedings of Parliament
- Philatelic Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Communications
- Member of the Executive of Indian Parliamentary Group
- Sushma Swaraj was nominated to the panel of Vice-Chairmen of Rajya Sabha
- She was the chairperson of:
- Joint Committee on Catering in Parliament Complex
- Committee on Petitions, Rajya Sabha
