Arvind Kejriwal: Difference between revisions

{{use Indian English|date=December 2020}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| office              = 7th [[Chief Minister of Delhi]]

| predecessor        = ''[[President's rule]]''

| term_end5          = 14 February 2014

| predecessor5        = [[Sheila Dikshit]]

| party              = [[Aam Aadmi Party]]

| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1968|8|16}}

| spouse              = {{marriage|Sunita Kejriwal|1995}}

| children            = 2

| website            = {{URL|delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/doit/Delhi+Govt/About+Cm/About+CM|Government website}}

| awards              = [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]]

}}

==Early life and education==

He joined [[Tata Steel]] in 1989 and was posted in [[Jamshedpur]], [[Bihar]]. Kejriwal resigned in 1992, having taken leave of absence to study for the [[Civil Services Examination]].<ref name="rmaf" /> He spent some time in [[Calcutta]] (present-day Kolkata), where he met [[Mother Teresa]], and volunteered with The [[Missionaries of Charity]] and at the [[Ramakrishna Mission]] in [[North-East India]] and at [[Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan|Nehru Yuva Kendra]].<ref name="ashoka">{{cite web|url=http://india.ashoka.org/fellow/arvind-kejriwal |title=Arvind Kejriwal |publisher=Ashoka |year=2004 |access-date=24 September 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130928232958/http://india.ashoka.org/fellow/arvind-kejriwal |archive-date=28 September 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=25 December 2016|title=My Days With Mother Teresa, My Coming of Age - Arvind Kejriwal|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/my-days-with-mother-teresa-my-coming-of-age-kejriwal-1288183.html|access-date=15 November 2020|website=News18|language=en}}</ref>

==Career==

{{main|Parivartan}}

Parivartan addressed citizens' grievances related to [[Public Distribution System]] (PDS), public works, social welfare schemes, income tax and electricity. It was not a registered [[Non-governmental organization|NGO]] - it ran on individual donations, and was characterised as a ''jan andolan'' ("people's movement") by its members.<ref name="Outlook_2012_tatters">{{cite news |title=The More They Change: Kejriwal's original experiment in Sundar Nagri lies in tatters |first=Panini |last=Anand |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?281825 |publisher=Outlook India |date=13 August 2012 |access-date=23 December 2013}}</ref> Later, in 2005, Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia launched Kabir, a registered NGO named after the medieval philosopher [[Kabir]]. Like Parivartan, Kabir was also focused on RTI and participatory governance. However, unlike Parivartan, it accepted institutional donations. According to Kejriwal, Kabir was mainly run by Sisodia.<ref name="Outlook_2011_clue">{{cite journal |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article/No-Clue-Where-Donations-In-The-Past-Year-Came-From/278266 |title=No Clue Where Donations In The Past Year Came From |journal=Outlook |date=19 September 2011 |author=Saba Naqvi }}</ref>

In 2003 (and again in 2008<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/one-family-many-ration-cards-and-a-major-scam/article1292093.ece |title=One family, many ration cards and a major scam |date=8 July 2008 |work=The Hindu}}</ref>), Parivartan exposed a PDS scam, in which [[ration shop]] dealers were siphoning off subsidized foodgrains in collusion with civic officials. In 2004, Parivartan used RTI applications to access communication between government agencies and the [[World Bank]], regarding a project for [[privatization of water]] supply. Kejriwal and other activists questioned the huge expenditure on the project and argued that it would hike water tariffs ten-fold, thus effectively cutting off the water supply to the city's poor. The project was stalled as a result of Parivartan's activism. Another campaign by Parivartan led to a court order that required private schools, which had received public land at discounted prices, to admit more than 700 poor kids without a fee.<ref name="BT_2008_cleanup"/><ref name="Outlook_2006_change"/>

By 2012, Parivartan was largely inactive. Sundar Nagri, where the movement was concentrated, suffered from irregular water supply, unreliable PDS system and poorly done public works.<ref name="Outlook_2012_tatters"/> Calling it "ephemeral and delusionary in nature", Kejriwal noted that Parivartan's success was limited, and the changes brought by it did not last long.<ref name="Swaraj">{{cite book |title=Swaraj |first=Arvind |last=Kejriwal |page=6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qk6YyKRRIk0C |isbn=978-81-7223-767-7 |publisher=Harper Collins|date=10 October 2012 }}</ref>

Besides the government, the [[India Against Corruption|Jan Lokpal movement]] was also criticized by some citizens as 'undemocratic' on the grounds that the ombudsman had powers over elected representatives. [[Arundhati Roy]] claimed that the movement was not a people's movement; instead, it was funded by foreigners to influence policymaking in India. She pointed out that the Ford Foundation had funded the Emergent Leadership category of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, and also donated $397,000 to Kejriwal's NGO Kabir.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/jan-lokpal-bill-regressive-arundhati-roy/article2412518.ece |title=Jan Lokpal Bill regressive: Arundhati Roy |newspaper=The Hindu |date=30 August 2011 }}</ref> Both Kejriwal and Ford Foundation termed the allegations as baseless, stating that the donations were made to support the RTI campaigns. Besides, several other Indian organizations had also received grants from the Ford Foundation.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/claims-that-hazare-s-movement-is-us-funded-baseless-arvind-111083100109_1.html |title=Claims that Hazare's movement is US-funded baseless: Arvind |newspaper=Business Standard |author=Sreelatha Menon |date=31 August 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article/Flowing-The-Way-Of-Their-Money/278264 |title=Flowing The Way Of Their Money |journal=Outlook |date=19 September 2011 |author=Lola Nayar }}</ref> Kejriwal also denied the allegations that the movement was a plot against the ruling Congress by the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh|RSS]], or that it was an upper-caste conspiracy against the [[Dalit]]s.<ref name="Outlook_2011_clue"/>

In 2015 during the second term of the AAP government in Delhi the Jan Lokpal Bill was passed by the assembly awaiting presidents approval<ref name="indianexpress.com">{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-assembly-passes-jan-lokpal-bill-kejriwal-calls-it-a-historic-moment/|title=Delhi Assembly passes Jan Lokpal Bill, Kejriwal calls it a 'historic moment'|date=5 December 2015|work=The Indian Express}}</ref>

[[File: Arvind Kejriwal in Bangalore.JPG|thumb|right|Kejriwal during the launch of AAP in Bangalore, in July 2013]]

One of the major criticisms directed at the Jan Lokpal activists was that they had no right to dictate terms to the elected representatives. As a result, Kejriwal and other activists decided to enter politics and contest elections.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article/A-Political-Alternative-To-Alternative-Politics/282060 |title=A Political Alternative To Alternative Politics |journal=Outlook |date=3 September 2012 |author=Prashant Bhushan }}</ref> In November 2012, they formally launched the Aam Aadmi Party; Kejriwal was elected as the party's National Convener. The party name reflects the phrase [[Aam Aadmi]], or "common man", whose interests Kejriwal proposed to represent.<ref>{{cite news|title=Arvind Kejriwal formally launches Aam Aadmi Party|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/arvind-kejriwal-aam-aadmi-party-formal-launch-jantar-mantar/1/234729.html|publisher=India Today|access-date=26 November 2012}}</ref> The establishment of AAP caused a rift between Kejriwal and Hazare.<ref>{{cite news |title=Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal rift widens to breaking point |date=16 December 2013 |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-anna-hazare-arvind-kejriwal-rift-widens-to-breaking-point-1935762 |publisher=DNA India |access-date=19 March 2014}}</ref>

AAP decided to contest the [[2013 Delhi Legislative Assembly election]], with Kejriwal contesting against the incumbent Chief Minister [[Sheila Dikshit]]. Kejriwal became the fifth most-mentioned Indian politician on social media channels in the run-up to the elections.<ref>{{cite web|title=Can Social media be a gamechanger in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections? |url=http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/DEL-social-media-to-be-a-game-changer-in-2014-lok-sabha-elections-for-narendra-modi--4324902-PHO.html |publisher=Daily Bhaskar |access-date=20 July 2013}}</ref>

{{main|First Kejriwal ministry}}

In the 2013, Delhi Legislative Assembly elections for all 70 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party won 31 seats, followed by Aam Aadmi Party with 28 seats.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/28-aap-mlas-choose-arvind-kejriwal-as-leader-in-delhi-assembly/438689-80-258.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211040855/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/28-aap-mlas-choose-arvind-kejriwal-as-leader-in-delhi-assembly/438689-80-258.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 December 2013 |title=28 AAP MLAs choose Arvind Kejriwal as leader in Delhi Assembly |publisher=IBN |date=9 December 2013 |access-date=19 December 2013}}</ref> Kejriwal defeated incumbent Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit of the [[Indian National Congress]] (INC), in her constituency of [[New Delhi (Delhi Assembly constituency)|New Delhi]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ndtv.com/elections/article/assembly-polls/assembly-election-2013-arvind-kejriwal-sweeps-sheila-dikshit-right-out-of-her-constituency-456109?pfrom=home-elecdec13_mainstory |title=Assembly election 2013: Arvind Kejriwal sweeps Sheila Dikshit right out of her constituency |date=8 December 2013 |publisher=NDTV }}</ref> by a margin of 25,864 votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eciresults.ap.nic.in/ConstituencywiseU0540.htm?ac=40|title=Election Commission of India Official Results|access-date=23 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215042131/http://eciresults.ap.nic.in/ConstituencywiseU0540.htm?ac=40|archive-date=15 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 14 February 2014, he resigned as Chief Minister after failing to table the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Delhi Assembly. He recommended the dissolution of the Assembly.<ref>{{cite news|title=Arvind Kejriwal quits as Delhi CM after Jan Lokpal fiasco|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/arvind-kejriwal-quits-as-delhi-cm-after-jan-lokpal-fiasco/articleshow/30409661.cms|newspaper=Economic Times|access-date=15 February 2014|date=15 February 2014}}</ref> Kejriwal blamed the Indian National Congress and the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] for stalling the anti-corruption legislation and linked it with the government's decision to register a [[First Information Report]] (FIR) against industrialist [[Mukesh Ambani]], chairman and managing director of [[Reliance Industries]].<ref name="quit">{{cite news|title=Arvind Kejriwal quits over Jan Lokpal|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/arvind-kejriwal-quits-over-jan-lokpal/article5688528.ece|access-date=3 March 2014|newspaper=The Hindu|date=14 February 2014|last1=Ali|first1=Mohammad|last2=Kant|first2=Vishal|last3=Ashok|first3=Sowmiya}}</ref> In April 2014 he said that he had made a mistake by resigning without publicly explaining the rationale behind his decision.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140413094924/http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/arvindkejriwalacommonmaninpolitics/resigning-as-delhi-cm-was-a-mistake-admits-kejriwal/article1-1206879.aspx "Quitting as Delhi CM was a 'mistake', admits Kejriwal"], ''Hindustan Times'', 11 April 2014.</ref>

{{main|Second Kejriwal ministry}}

There has been a long-running dispute between Kejriwal's office and that of the [[Lieutenant Governor of Delhi|Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi]] during Kejriwal's second term as Chief Minister. Various issues have been involved, relating which office has ultimate responsibility for various aspects of government, including some significant public appointments. Manish Sisodia characterised it as "a battle between the selected and the elected" and indicated after a legal setback that the government was prepared to take the issues to the [[Supreme Court of India]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Delhi is Lt Governor territory, Kejriwal govt's orders illegal: High Court |first=Aneesha |last=Mathur |date=5 August 2016 |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/setback-for-aap-arvind-kejriwal-govt-delhi-hc-says-l-g-najeeb-jung-is-administrative-head-of-national-capital-territory-2952944 |work=Indian Express |access-date=13 July 2016}}/</ref>

[[Shunglu Committee]] submitted a report to LG of Delhi raising questions over decisions of Government of Delhi.<ref>{{citation |title=Shunglu panel: Aam Aadmi Party usurped power of top bureaucrats |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/aap-usurped-power-of-top-bureaucrats-shunglu-panel-4601370/ |work=[[The Indian Express]] |date=6 April 2017 }}</ref>

{{main|Third Kejriwal ministry}}

{{Main|Attack on Delhi Chief Minister's house}}

The petition called the violence directed towards the CM and his family as "especially egregious" and "meant to subdue, by the use of force, the highest elected official in NCT of Delhi and therefore the elected Government of Delhi. This was a direct attack on democracy."<ref name="NDTV HC 31 March 2022" />

The petition asked the court to issue direction to the Delhi Police and the [[Union Ministry of Home Affairs]] for ensuring the security of the Chief Minister and his residence.<ref name="Delhi High Court Hindu 1 April 2022" />

The Delhi HC noted that the security was not adequate to control the crowd, and sought a status report of the police investigation into the incident.<ref name="Delhi High Court Hindu 1 April 2022" />

==Electoral performance ==

==Political views==

Kejriwal is an [[Ambedkarite]] and calls himself a 'devotee' of [[B. R. Ambedkar]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 February 2022 |title='An inspiring lesson': Kejriwal opens play on Ambedkar's life |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/an-inspiring-lesson-kejriwal-opens-play-on-ambedkar-s-life-101645838181047.html |access-date=28 February 2022 |work=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=PTI |date=25 January 2022 |title=Delhi govt offices to have photos of only Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh, no other leader: Arvind Kejriwal |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/delhi-govt-offices-to-have-photos-of-only-ambedkar-bhagat-singh-no-other-leader-arvind-kejriwal/articleshow/89116180.cms |access-date=28 February 2022}}</ref>

==Books==

''[[An Insignificant Man]]'', a 2017 Hindi/English Indian socio-political documentary co-produced and directed by Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla and also co-produced by filmmaker [[Anand Gandhi]].<ref name="BS 2">{{cite news|title='Ship of Theseus' team's next is 'Proposition for a Revolution'|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/ship-of-theseus-team-s-next-is-proposition-for-a-revolution-114033100286_1.html|access-date=2 July 2014|publisher=[[Business Standard]]|date=31 March 2014|author1-link=Indo-Asian News Service}}</ref><ref name="FP 1">{{cite news|title=After Ship Of Theseus, Recyclewala Labs to make Proposition for a Revolution|url=http://www.firstpost.com/politics/after-ship-of-theseus-recyclewala-labs-to-make-proposition-for-a-revolution-1458995.html|access-date=2 July 2014|publisher=[[Firstpost|First Post]]|date=31 March 2014|author1-link=Indo-Asian News Service}}</ref> The documentary is about the rise of [[2011 Indian anti-corruption movement|anti-corruption]] protests in India and the formation and rise to power of the Aam Aadmi Party and Arvind Kejriwal.<ref name="The Hindu 1">{{cite news|last1=Bhattacharya|first1=Budhaditya|title=Talking about a revolution|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/talking-about-a-revolution/article5931052.ece|access-date=2 July 2014|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=20 April 2014}}</ref> The filmmakers fought a long battle against censorship in India to get the film released theatrically.<ref>{{cite news |title=Get permission from Narendra Modi, censor board tells makers of a film on Arvind Kejriwal |url=https://scroll.in/latest/838786/get-permission-from-narendra-modi-censor-board-tells-makers-of-a-film-on-arvind-kejriwal |access-date=12 April 2020 |work=Scroll.in |date=26 May 2017}}</ref> The filmmakers eventually won the case against the Indian government. An ''Insignificant Man'' was sanctioned for public release without any cuts in a landmark judgement.<ref>{{cite news |title=CBFC Clears Documentary Based On Arvind Kejriwal, Says NOC From PM Modi 'Not Required' |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/08/21/cbfc-clears-documentary-based-on-arvind-kejriwal-says-noc-from-pm-modi-not-required_a_23155478/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAQsAmAIut7M_jca4UB_6Py6xU0tpFrQc7CEG-c9jzJ0rFTMBGTFQ5yAnolsRW5utbDiASEeIL5f_FfPqyuF_emsUmByvvO_yUux3-8bNbtaSpYOzSH7plds3ffQMJfG5WhXVULECJvutFcGw-5jtvfhav5xj8a0DF9xOEd-FZ2_ |access-date=12 April 2020 |work=HuffPost India |date=21 August 2017 |language=en}}</ref> The film ran in theatres successfully for 8 weeks. Kejriwal himself, however, refused to acknowledge the film or associate with it publicly due to creative differences with the filmmakers.

* [[Fifth Legislative Assembly of Delhi]]

* [[2017 Punjab Legislative Assembly election]]

===Notes===

{{Notelist}}

===Citations===

{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==

*[https://www.mahakhabar.in/kejriwal-launches-green-delhi-app-to-end-pollution/ प्रदूषण खत्म करने के लिए केजरीवाल ने लॉन्च किया Green Delhi App] (maha khabar)

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160824075158/http://delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/doit/Delhi+Govt/About+Cm/About+CM Arvind Kejriwal - Profile]

* {{IMDb name|6683397}}

{{s-start}}

{{Ramon Magsaysay Award Winners}}

{{Aam Aadmi Party}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1968 births]]

[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:Ashoka India Fellows]]

[[Category:Indian Revenue Service officers]]

[[Category:Delhi MLAs 2015–2020]]

[[Category:Delhi MLAs 2020–2025]]

[[Category:Chief ministers from Aam Aadmi Party]]

[[Category:Aam Aadmi Party politicians]]