->Pachu Kannan at 08:59, 9 January 2022

2022-01-09T08:59:32Z

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{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Multiple issues|
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{{BLP sources|date=June 2019}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Arif Aqueel
| honorific_suffix = [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]], [[Cabinet Minister]]
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1952|01|14}}
| birth_place = [[Bhopal]], [[Bhopal State (1949-56)|Bhopal State]], [[India]]
| residence = [[Bhopal]], [[Madhya Pradesh]]
| nationality = Indian
| citizenship = India
| office = Member of the [[Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly]]
| term_start = 1990
| constituency = [[Bhopal North (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Bhopal North]]
| predecessor = Rasul Ahmad Siddiqui<ref>{{cite web|title= Bhopal North (Madhya Pradesh) Assembly Constituency Elections|url=http://www.empoweringindia.org/new/constituency.aspx?eid=956&cid=150|website=Elections.in|accessdate=16 May 2018}}</ref>
| office2 = [[Cabinet Minister]], Ministry of Minority Affairs and Backward Classes, [[Government of Madhya Pradesh]]
| term_start2 = 25 December 2018
| term_end2 = 09 March 2020
| office3 = [[Cabinet Minister]], Ministry of Bhopal Gas Relief and Distribution, [[Government of Madhya Pradesh]]
| term_start3 = 25 December 2018
| term_end3 = 09 March 2020
| office4 = [[Cabinet Minister]], Medium and Small Enterprises [[MSME]], [[Government of Madhya Pradesh]]
| term_start4 = 25 December 2018
| term_end4 = 09 March 2020
| office5 = [[State Minister]] of Minority Welfare, [[Government of Madhya Pradesh]]
| term_start5 = 1998
| term_end5 = 2003
| office6 = [[State Minister]] of Bhopal Gas Rahat
| term_start6 = 1998
| term_end6 = 2003
| office7 = [[State Minister]] of Backward and Porniwass Department, [[Government of Madhya Pradesh]]
| term_start7 = 1998
| term_end7 = 2003
| education = [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]], [[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]], [[Master of Arts|MA]], [[MSc]], [[MPhil]]<ref>{{cite web|title=MLA Profile|url=http://mpvidhansabha.nic.in/14thvs/2014_150.pdf|website=MP Vidhansabha|accessdate=16 May 2018}}</ref>
| alma_mater = [[Barkatullah University]]
| profession = Activist, politician
| footnotes =
| party = [[File:Hand INC.svg|24px]] INC <br /> ([[Indian National Congress]])
| spouse = Saira Aqueel
}}
'''Arif Aqueel''' (born 14 January 1952) is an Indian politician and a member of the [[Indian National Congress]] party.
He is the first Muslim MLA from Bhopal Uttar<ref>{{cite news|last1=Deep|first1=Desh|title=Arif Aqueel pitches in for minority face as leader of opposition|url=https://timesofind19ia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/Arif-Aqueel-pitches-in-for-minority-face-as-leader-of-oppositio/articleshow/55279775.cms|accessdate=16 May 2018|agency=Times News Network|work=The Times of India|date=6 November 2016}}{{Dead link|date=June 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> in the state of Madhya Pradesh. He served as a [[Cabinet Minister]], Ministry of Minority Affairs and Backward Classes, Ministry of Bhopal Gas Relief and Distribution, Ministry of Medium and Small Enterprises, [[Government of Madhya Pradesh]]. He is the only Muslim minister in Madhya Pradesh to hold this post after a gap of 15 years.

==Political career==
He became an MLA in 1990 from Bhopal North constituency and has since been representing it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://myneta.info/mp2013/candidate.php?candidate_id=898|website=myneta.info|accessdate=16 May 2018|title=Arif Aqueel(Indian National Congress(INC)):Constituency- BHOPAL UTTAR(BHOPAL) - Affidavit Information of Candidate:}}</ref>

Arif Aqueel (also known and referred to as “Sher-e-Bhopal” English translation “The Lion of Bhopal”) started his political career as an activist student leader in 1972. He was appointed as President of Saifia College Student Committee in 1977, and in the same year he was elected as Vice President of Youth Congress and NSUI (National Student Union of India) of Madhya Pradesh.

He won his first MLA election, as an independent MLA, in the 9th assembly election by defeating Senior Congress Leader and Ex-Minister Hasanat Siddiqui in 1990.

For almost three decades, politics in Old Bhopal has centred around one man—Arif Aqueel. It has happened several times that BJP won all the seats in Bhopal, except Arif Aqueel's constituency—Bhopal North & saved Congress’ prestige in the State capital.

Again 1993 he contested MLA election under the patronage of Janta Dal Party, however, he was over taken by Ramesh Sharma<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/electionanalysis/AE/S12/partycomp150.htm|title=State Elections 2003 - Partywise Comparison for 150-Bhopal North Constituency of MADHYA PRADESH|website=eci.nic.in|access-date=2018-07-05}}</ref> of BJP Party by small margin. In 1995 he appointed as member of MP Waqf Board and Bar Council, in the same year was elected as President of Nagrik Sahakari Bank.

In 1996 he rejoined Congress Party and in 1998 he contested MLA election and won the eleventh (11th) assembly election by defecting his old rival Ramesh Sharma<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/electionanalysis/AE/S12/partycomp150.htm|title=State Elections 2003 - Partywise Comparison for 150-Bhopal North Constituency of MADHYA PRADESH|website=eci.nic.in|access-date=2018-07-05}}</ref> of BJP.

During 1998 till 2003, Arif Aqueel held many Cabinet Minister positions under Congress Party's Chief Minister [[Digvijaya Singh]] of Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly. He was nominated as Minister of Minority Welfare, Minister of Bhopal Gas Rahat, Minister of Backward and Porniwass Department. He was also appointed as President of MP Hajj Committee.

He again triumphed in the twelfth (12th) assembly election as MLA in 2003, and from February till June 2004 he served as secretary of Vidhan Sabha for Congress and in 2007, he was nominated as Vice President of Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee.

In 2008 he was elected again as an MLA in thirteenth (13th) assembly, in 2012 he became the President of Bhopal Divisional Cricket Association and member of MP Cricket Association, and in 2013 he was appointed as Member of Election Committee of Congress for ticket distribution.

In 2013 he was elected again in the fourteenth (14th) assembly MLA election by defeating Ex-Cabinet Minister of India [[Arif Beg]] who served as National Minister under [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]] Prime Minister of India.

==Political views==
He supports Congress Party's Ideology.

==Personal life==
He is married to Saira Aqueel.

He has one daughter and three sons; (eldest to youngest), Erum Aqueel, Majid Aqueel, Atif Aqueel and Abid Aqueel.

His daughter is married to Khalid Masoud,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressreader.com/saudi-arabia/arab-news/20110305/281904474678730|title=PressReader.com - Your favorite newspapers and magazines.|website=www.pressreader.com}}</ref> a General Manager employed at UPS ([[United Parcel Service]] inc.) in Saudi Arabia.

==See also==
*[[Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly]]
*[[2013 Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly election]]
*[[2008 Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly election]]
*[[2003 Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly election]]
*[[1998 Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly election]]
*[[1993 Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly election]]
*[[1990 Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly election]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Facebook|ARIF-Aqueel-669368016414216}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aqueel, Arif}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Madhya Pradesh MLAs 1990–1992]]
[[Category:Madhya Pradesh MLAs 1993–1998]]
[[Category:Madhya Pradesh MLAs 1998–2003]]
[[Category:Madhya Pradesh MLAs 2003–2008]]
[[Category:Madhya Pradesh MLAs 2008–2013]]
[[Category:Madhya Pradesh MLAs 2013–2018]]
[[Category:Politicians from Bhopal]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Madhya Pradesh]]

Arif Aqueel - Revision history

->Pachu Kannan at 08:59, 9 January 2022