George Fernandes passes away after prolonged illness

NEW DELHI: Former defence minister George Fernandes passed away on Tuesday following a prolonged illness, family sources said.nnHe was 88.nnFernandes was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and recently, he contracted swine flu, they said.nnThe socialist leader was India’s defence minister in the NDA government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and he was the industry minister under the Jan Sangh government, which defeated Indira Gandhi in 1977.nnPrime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the demise, saying he was frank and fearless, and never deviated from his ideology.nn”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.nnCongress chief Rahul Gandhi expressed his condolences to Fernandes’ family and friends.nn”I’m sorry to hear about the passing away of former Parliamentarian & Union Minister, George Fernandes Ji,” he said in a Facebook post.