‘Pray for his long and healthy life’: PM Modi meets Arun Shourie at Pune hospital

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met former union minister and senior journalist Arun Shourie at Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune and enquired about his health.

"In Pune, I met former Union Minister Arun Shourie Ji. Enquired about his health and had a wonderful interaction with him. We pray for his long and healthy life," PM Modi tweeted after the meeting.

Arun Shourie was hospitalised on December 1 after he fainted and injured his head during his evening walk. While initially Shourie was taken to the Hinjewadi branch of the hospital, he was later shifted to the main hospital.

Shourie was a BJP minister in Atal Bihari Vaypayee's government. He backed Modi for the post of prime minister ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. However, Shourie later became a strong critic of the Modi administration. In 2015, the BJP said Shoruie was no longer a party member.

According to senior doctors of the Ruby Hall Clinic, located in Bund Garden area of the city, the prime minister arrived at 6 pm and spent 15 minutes with Shourie.

A team of chief cardiologist Dr Parvez Grant, neurosurgeon Dr Sachin Gandhi took Modi to Shourie's room. "The PM spent 15 minutes with Shourie. He embraced Shourie during their interaction," the doctors said, adding that the prime minister spoke with the family members of Shourie outside his room.

They had said Shourie was recovering fast and was showing no signs of neuro-deficit (abnormal function of a body area due to weaker function of the brain).

PM Modi later posed for pictures with staff members of the Ruby Hall Clinic. The prime minister was in Pune to participate in the DG-IG Conference on December 7-8.