In 1970, Agnivesh founded Arya Sabha, a political party based on the principles of Arya Samaj. He became a member of the Legislative Assembly of Haryana in 1977, and served as a cabinet Minister for Education in 1979. In 1981, while still a minister, he founded the Bonded Labour Liberation Front, which continues to raise issues surrounding bonded labour in India, especially in the quarries in and around Delhi; he remained the chairperson of the organisation. After leaving the Ministry, he was arrested twice, spending a total of 14 months in jail on charges of subversion and murder, of which he was later acquitted.