Honorable Arif Aqeel sahab, who became famous as Sher-e-Bhopal, is no more in this world. He breathed his last on Monday morning at the age of 72 and said goodbye to this world. He was buried on Monday at 3.30 pm in Bhopal’s Bade Bagh cemetery.
You have left behind an immense political and social legacy that will continue to guide many generations to come.
From 1990 to 2024, the entire politics of Bhopal and old Bhopal revolved around respected Arif Aqeel. BJP could never defeat him. His seat was such an impenetrable fort of Congress that no wave could ever affect it.
Arif Aqeel was considered the political leader of Muslims not only of Bhopal but of entire Madhya Pradesh. He was always counted among the top 5 Congress leaders of the state. Muslims not only of Bhopal but of entire Madhya Pradesh are saddened by the demise of respected Arif Aqeel. The state Congress has lost its leader.
From Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to every major leader of the state, everyone has expressed condolences on the demise of respected Arif Aqeel.
Senior and veteran leader of Madhya Pradesh Congress Arif Aqeel passed away. He breathed his last in a private hospital in Bhopal on Monday morning. He was ill for a long time. Arif became MLA for the first time in 1990. Arif has been a 6-time MLA from Bhopal’s North Assembly seat. At the same time, he also held the post of minister in the Madhya Pradesh government (former Chief Minister Kamal Nath government) twice. He was entrusted with the Minority Welfare, Jail and Food Department. However, due to poor health, Arif Aqeel got his son Atif Aqeel a ticket from Bhopal North Assembly seat in 2023. At present Atif is an MLA from Bhopal North. 72-year-old Arif was suffering from heart disease. He was admitted to Apollo Sage Hospital in Bhopal for treatment. He had chest pain on Sunday night, after which he was admitted to the hospital. He was on ventilator support. He died in the hospital itself. It is noteworthy that Arif Aqeel underwent cardiac surgery last year. He was operated at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram.
The journey of life of the great Arif Aqeel….
Janab Arif Aqeel sahab was born on 14 January 1952 in Bhopal. He started his political career as a student leader in 1972. He became the President of Saifia College Students Union in 1977. In the same year he was elected as the Vice President of Madhya Pradesh NSUI (National Students Union of India).
He contested and won the assembly elections for the first time in 1990. Then he won the election as an independent by defeating the stalwart Congress leader and former minister Rasool Ahmed Siddiqui. He won his first MLA election as an independent MLA.
In 1993 again he contested the MLA election under the patronage of Janata Dal party, however, he was defeated by Ramesh Sharma of BJP party by a narrow margin. In 1995 he was appointed a member of Madhya Pradesh Wakf Board and Bar Council, in the same year he was elected the President of Nagrik Sahakari Bank.
He again joined Congress party in 1996 and contested MLA election in 1998 and won the assembly election by defeating his old rival Ramesh Sharma of BJP.
From 1998 to 2003, Arif Aqeel held several cabinet ministerial positions in the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly during the tenure of Congress Party Chief Minister Digvijay Singh. He was nominated as Minister of Minority Welfare, Bhopal Gas Relief Minister, Minister of Backward and Backward Classes Department. He was also appointed Chairman of Madhya Pradesh Haj Committee.
He won the Assembly election again as an MLA in 2003, and from February to June 2004 he served as the Assembly Secretary for the Congress and in 2007 he was named as the Vice-President of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee.
In 2008, he was again elected MLA in the 13th Vidhan Sabha. In 2012, he became the President of Bhopal Divisional Cricket Association and a member of M.P. Cricket Association. In 2013, he was appointed a member of the Congress Election Committee for ticket distribution.
In 2013 he was re-elected in MLA election of Fourteenth Legislative Assembly by defeating former Cabinet Minister of India Arif Beg.
personal life
Talking about his personal life, Mr. Arif was married to Saira Aqeel. He has one daughter and three sons. Their names are Irum Aqeel, Majid Aqeel, Atif Aqeel and Abid Aqeel. His daughter is married to Khalid Masood, General Manager working in UPS (United Parcel Service Inc.) in Saudi Arabia.
