Arvind Kejriwal, born in 1968, is the Chief Minister of Delhi and national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party. He was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2006. Kejriwal, a former bureaucrat, founded the Public Cause Research Foundation and later entered politics. He has faced legal issues, including arrest and denial of bail.
Arvind Kejriwal, an Indian politician, activist, and former bureaucrat, was born on August 16, 1968. He has served as Delhi's 7th Chief Minister and is the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party.
In 1985, Arvind Kejriwal appeared for the IIT-JEE test and achieved an All India Rank (AIR) of 563, showcasing his academic excellence.
Arvind Kejriwal joined Tata Steel as a trainee in 1989 and was stationed in Jamshedpur, Bihar, marking the beginning of his professional career.
During his time in Calcutta, Arvind Kejriwal had the opportunity to meet Mother Teresa and assist The Missionaries of Charity at the Nehru Yuva Kendra and North-East Indian Ramakrishna Mission, showcasing his commitment to social causes.
Arvind Kejriwal started working as an Associate Director of Income Tax in the Indian Revenue Authority (IRS) after passing the Civil Services Exam in 1995.
In December 1999, Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and others established the Parivartan movement in Delhi's Sundar Nagar area to address citizens' grievances related to various government schemes and services.
In January 2000, Arvind Kejriwal took a break from his job at the Income Tax Department to focus on leading the Parivartan movement, which aimed to bring about change in governance and public services.
In November 2000, Arvind Kejriwal was given a two-year paid leave of absence to pursue further studies, with the condition that he would not resign from his position for at least two years after returning to work. He would have to repay the salary received during this leave if he violated the agreement.
After returning to work in November 2002, Arvind Kejriwal was allowed to take an additional 18 months of unpaid leave. This period was granted despite his previous claims of not having any official duties for over a year.
In 2003, Parivartan revealed a Public Distribution System (PDS) scam where ration shop dealers colluded with officials to divert subsidized foodgrains. This exposed corruption in the distribution of essential goods.
In 2004, Parivartan used RTI to scrutinize a World Bank-funded water supply privatization project, raising concerns about increased water tariffs and potential adverse effects on the city's poor residents. Their activism led to the project's suspension.
Arvind Kejriwal, alongside other activists, played a significant role in advocating for the national Right to Information (RTI) Act, enacted in 2005. This legislation aimed to enhance transparency and empower citizens in accessing government information.
In 2006, Arvind Kejriwal was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for his involvement in the Parivartan movement using right to information legislation in a campaign against government corruption.
In 2010, Arvind Kejriwal protested against corruption in the Commonwealth Games, highlighting the lack of powers of Central Vigilance Commission and the biased investigation by CBI. He advocated for the appointment of public ombudsman - Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states.
On the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2, 2012, Arvind Kejriwal announced the formation of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with the aim of bringing about political change.
On December 28, 2013, Arvind Kejriwal was sworn in as Delhi's Chief Minister after the 2013 election.
M. S. Dhir was elected as the speaker of the legislative assembly on January 3, 2014, during the tenure of the First Kejriwal cabinet.
Arvind Kejriwal resigned as the Chief Minister of Delhi on February 14, 2014, after the failure of the introduction of Delhi's Jan Lokpal Bill in the assembly.
On February 14, 2015, Arvind Kejriwal was re-elected as Chief Minister after his party won the Delhi Legislative Council election.
The AAP government in Delhi proposed seeking full statehood for the region, aiming for more autonomy and control over its affairs.
An incident where an AAP councillor was attacked, which was condemned by Kejriwal as a reflection of BJP's hooliganism.
After facing delays, Delhi's Signature Bridge was finally opened on November 5, 2018, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal leading the inauguration.
Starting in October 2019, Arvind Kejriwal's government rolled out free bus transit for women on the Delhi Transport Corporation. Women could travel for free using pink tickets carrying a message from Kejriwal.
Ahead of his third oath ceremony, a multi-level security arrangement was put in place at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
After winning 62 out of 70 seats in the 2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly election, Arvind Kejriwal took his third oath as Delhi's chief minister at Ramlila Maidan on February 16, 2020.
On February 19, 2020, Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet ministers assumed office, with a focus on key areas for the next five years.
During COVID 2020-21, the Congress accused the Arvind Kejriwal government of misusing funds meant for oxygen plants on advertisements. The Central government committee criticized the Aam Aadmi Party government for not increasing oxygen storage capacity.
In May 2021, Arvind Kejriwal urged the Indian government to stop airline travel between India and Singapore due to concerns over a new coronavirus variant claimed to be dangerous for children, even though no such variation originated from Singapore.
On 26 March 2022, a budget of ₹75,800 crore rupees was presented in the Delhi Assembly by the Finance minister Manish Sisodia. AAP leaders expected that the budget would create employment for 20 lakh people in Delhi, in the upcoming five years.
On 8 October 2022, Rajendra Pal Gautam announced his resignation from the Council of Ministers of Delhi state government. AAP has not responded formally to the resignation.
CM Arvind Kejriwal launched 50 e-buses as part of the initiative to have 80% of Delhi's fleet running on electricity. This move aims to reduce pollution and promote sustainable transportation.
Arvind Kejriwal visited the Okhla landfill and expressed his vision to make Delhi free from landfills by 2024. This initiative aims to address the waste management issues in the city and promote environmental sustainability.
Arvind Kejriwal, after skipping nine summons, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on 21 March 2024 in connection with the Delhi liquor policy money laundering case, becoming the first sitting chief minister in Indian history to be arrested.
On 22nd March 2024, Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Delhi liquor scam, becoming the first incumbent chief minister in India to be arrested.
Arvind Kejriwal has filed a plea in the Delhi High Court against his arrest and remand by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case related to the excise policy. The ED has requested 3 weeks to file a response, which Kejriwal's lawyer has criticized as a delay tactic.
Arvind Kejriwal criticized the Enforcement Directorate, alleging that the agency aimed to suppress AAP and establish an extortion scheme. He dismissed the notion that the state government would be controlled from jail, labeling it as a political conspiracy.
Sunita Kejriwal calls for people to send messages of support for her husband, Arvind Kejriwal, who has been arrested. She highlights his fight against corruption and tyranny in the country, seeking solidarity from the public.