Arif Mohammad Khan


Arif Mohammad Khan is an Indian politician who is a member of the BJP and currently the Governor of Kerala. He has previously been a cabinet minister in the Union government. He has held several portfolios ranging from energy to civil aviation.

Early life and education

Arif Mohammad Khan was born on 18 November 1951 in Bulandshahr. He was educated at Jamia Millia School, Delhi, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh and at Shia College, Lucknow University.

Political career

Arif Mohammad Khan started his political career as a student leader. He was the President of Aligarh Muslim University Students' Union in the year 1972-73 and also its honorary Secretary a year earlier. He contested the first legislative assembly election from Siyana constituency of Bulandshahar on Bharatiya Kranti Dal party's banner but was defeated. He became a member of the legislative assembly of UP in 1977 at the age of 26.
Khan joined the Indian National Congress party and was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980 from Kanpur and 1984 from Bahraich. In 1986, he quit the Indian National Congress due to differences over the passage of Muslim Personal Law Bill which was piloted by Rajiv Gandhi in the Lok Sabha. He was against the triple talaq legislation and resigned because of differences with Rajiv Gandhi on this issue. Arif Mohammed Khan joined the Janata Dal and was re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989. During the Janata Dal rule Khan served union Minister of Civil aviation and Energy. He left the Janata Dal to join the Bahujan Samaj Party and again entered the Lok Sabha in 1998 from Bahraich. Khan held ministerial responsibilities from 1984 to 1990. In 2004, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election as a BJP candidate that year from Kaiserganj constituency. Khan reactives in BJP from 2015 after Narendra Modi became the prime minister of India.
Arif Mohammad Khan is best known for opposing a bill passed in Indian Parliament, the Muslim Personal Law Bill, the Bill denies the maintenance for women, which deprived Muslim women of Women rights. He protested against the Muslim Personal Law Bill even though it was passed in the Indian Parliament.

Islam reformation

Arif Mohammad Khan has always supported reformation within Muslims. He resigned from position of Minister of state protesting against Rajiv Gandhi Congress Government stand on Shah Bano case in 1986. He defended Supreme Court judgment on Shah Bano case in Parliament. Arif opposed triple talaq and said that it should be punishable with 3 years in jail. He is actively involved in policy making and Islam reformation. He has written various books and given multiple lectures. He is also associated with various think-tanks.

Samarpan

Khan and his wife Reshma Arif run the Samarpan for physically challenged people.

Current activities

Khan has been deeply involved in writing since his student days. He is the author of the best selling book of the year 2010 Text and Context: Quran and Contemporary Challenges, published by Rupa & Co.
Now Arif Mohammad Khan is actively involved in writing articles and columns related to Islam and Sufism. Arif Mohammad Khan has advocated abolishing of All India Muslim Personal Law Board. Arif Mohammad Khan also supported the Supreme Court of India's judgment in Shah Bano case to make the right to maintenance of a divorced Muslim wife absolute.

Governor of Kerala

Khan was appointed as the Governor of Kerala on 1 September 2019 by the order of the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. He took charge as Governor on 6 September 2019 from P. Sathasivam.