Patna: Arif Mohammed Khan (73), who was on Tuesday appointed as the new governor of Bihar replacing Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, is known for his progressive stance on Muslim reforms and Islamic practices. Khan has been a prominent voice for reforms in Islam.
Khan’s political journey began as a student leader at Aligarh Muslim University where he served as Students’ Union president in 1972-73. His early political aspirations led him to contest the UP legislative assembly election from Siyana constituency on a Bharatiya Kranti Dal ticket, though unsuccessfully. However, he later won his first assembly seat in UP in 1977 at the age of just 26.
His national political career took off when he joined the Indian National Congress and won Lok Sabha elections from Kanpur (1980) and Bahraich (1984). However, Khan’s most notable moment came in 1986 when he resigned as minister of state in protest against Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s stance on the Shah Bano case. He strongly defended the Supreme Court’s judgment in Parliament, opposing the Muslim Personal Law Bill that allowed Muslim men to avoid paying maintenance to divorced wives after the iddah period.
Following his departure from Congress, Khan’s political journey continued through various parties. He joined the Janata Dal, winning the 1989 Lok Sabha election and serving as Union minister for civil Aviation and energy. He later moved to the Bahujan Samaj Party, winning the 1998 Lok Sabha election from Bahraich. In 2004, he joined the BJP and contested unsuccessfully from Kaiserganj.
Throughout his career, Khan has been a vocal advocate for Muslim women’s rights and religious reforms. He has consistently opposed triple talaq, advocating for it to be punishable with three-year imprisonment. He has also criticised the practice of polygamy among Muslim men and the ease with which they can divorce by paying minimal compensation.
Khan hit the headlines after he welcomed the Karnataka high court’s judgement upholding that the hijab is not an essential garment according to Islam during the 2022 Karnataka hijab row. He had said that enforcing the wearing of a hijab was a conspiracy to push back Muslim women into the four walls of their homes and reduce their career prospects. He gave an example of imagining a woman IPS officer who is responsible for controlling law and order in a district, who cannot do so wearing a hijab.
Prior to his current appointment as Bihar governor, Khan served as the governor of Kerala since Sept 2019, taking over from P Sathasivam. His appointment was made by then President Ram Nath Kovind.
Khan’s appointment as Bihar governor brings his extensive political experience and reformist ideology to a crucial constitutional position. His track record of advocating for progressive reforms within the Muslim community, particularly concerning women’s rights and religious practices, has been a defining feature of his public life, making him a key figure in Indian politics and governance.