Oscar Fernandes, a former Union minister and a senior Congress leader, passed away at a private hospital in Mangaluru. He was 80.
Fernandes, a sitting Rajya Sabha MP, was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Mangaluru after he suffered a fall while exercising.
We are deeply saddened by the demise of Shri Oscar Fernandes ji, our heartfelt condolences to his family.
A Congress stalwart, his vision for an inclusive India had a huge influence on the politics of our times.
The Congress family will deeply miss his mentorship & guidance. pic.twitter.com/UXcLI765yP
— Congress (@INCIndia) September 13, 2021
Former Congress General Secretary and Karnataka MLC B K Hariprasad tweeted: “It’s saddening to hear about demise of our senior leader Shri Oscar Fernandes. He combined tradition & modernity. In his 5 decade
illustrious public life, He always remained rooted to ground irrespective of various positions he held. My heartfelt condolences to his family & friends.”
K C Venugopal, Congress General Secretary (Organisation), tweeted: “Extremely saddened by the demise of @INCIndia stalwart Shri Oscar Fernandes. An irreplaceable mentor & hardworking organisational leader, Oscar ji contributed immensely towards the betterment of the nation & the party. Heartfelt condolences to his family, friends & followers.”
Fernandes was the Union Cabinet Minister for Transport, Road and Highways in the Manmohan Singh-led government. During the same tenure, he was also given the additional charge of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Hailing from Udupi, Fernandes has been the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee during the late 1980s before which he was made the Joint Secretary of the All India Congress Committee in 1983. A five-time Lok Sabha MP between 1983 and 1997, he was first picked to the Rajya Sabha in April 1998.
