Idris Ali (30 December 1950 – 16 February 2024) was an Indian politician who was a Member of Parliament for the 16th Lok Sabha from Basirhat, West Bengal. He was elected in the 2014 Indian general election as an All India Trinamool Congress candidate.
Idris Ali | |
|---|---|
| ইদ্রিশ আলি | |
 Ali in 2023 | |
| Member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 6 May 2021 – 16 February 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Mahasin Ali |
| Succeeded by | Reyat Hossain Sarkar |
| Constituency | Bhagabangola |
| In office 2019–2021 | |
| Preceded by | Haider Aziz Safwi |
| Succeeded by | Bidesh Ranjan Bose |
| Constituency | Uluberia Purba |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| In office 16 May 2014 – 23 May 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Haji Sk. Nurul Islam |
| Succeeded by | Nusrat Jahan |
| Constituency | Basirhat |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 December 1950[1] West Bengal, India |
| Died | 16 February 2024 (aged 73) Howrah, India |
| Political party | All India Trinamool Congress |
| Other political affiliations | Indian National Congress |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence(s) | Kolkata, India[2] |
| Education | BSc, LL.B |
| Alma mater | St. Paul's Cathedral Mission College (BSc), Surendranath Law College (LL.B) |
| Profession | Lawyer, politician |
Early life and education
editIdris Ali was born on 30 December 1950.[1] He was educated at St. Paul's Cathedral Mission College and Surendranath Law College.[3]
Political career
editAli started his political career with Indian National Congress. In the 2014 Indian general election, he was elected as a member of parliament from the Basirhat seat on an All India Trinamool Congress ticket. He won by a margin of 109,000 votes.[4]
In January 2017, Ali lodged a police complaint for allegedly receiving a death threat in a phone call. He claimed that the caller was a Bengali from Dubai and had said that Ali would be killed for supporting the Trinamool Congress.[5]
On 13 March 2019, Mamata Banerjee announced that Ali would not contest the upcoming general election.[6]
Views
editAli likened party president and chief minister Mamata Banerjee to Mahatma Gandhi. He said that like Gandhi, Banerjee was "a symbol of communal harmony and peace".[7] He also equated Banerjee with the Hindu goddess Saraswati and the Christian missionary Mother Teresa for doing "developmental work".[8]
Ali also said that the state of West Bengal and the country would burn if Banerjee was arrested in connection to the Saradha Group financial scandal. However, his party's secretary general Partha Chatterjee said that the party did not support Ali's views.[9]
After the Pathankot attack, Ali said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "links" with the terrorists. However, the spokesperson of the party Derek O'Brien said that Ali's comments were "not the view of the party".[10]
Controversy
editAli was accused of inciting riots in the Park Circus area in 2007 while protesting against Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen. Though he was arrested and a charge sheet was filed against him, he was released on bail.[11][12]
Death
editAli was admitted to a private hospital in Howrah on 13 February 2024 as he was unable to breathe properly.[13][14] He died on 16 February 2024 due to several illnesses, at the age of 73.[13][15] He was survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.[16]
References
edit- ^ a b TMC MLA Idris Ali Dies: Cause of death explored
- ^ "Loksabha 2014". National election watch. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
- ^ TMC: Idris Ali
- ^ "Eight Muslim MPs from West Bengal". TwoCircles.net. 18 May 2014. Archived from the original on 3 January 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ "TMC MP Idris Ali receives threat calls for stand against demonetisation". India Today. 8 January 2017. Archived from the original on 19 February 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ "Trinamul MPs who were not renominated". The Telegraph. 13 March 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
- ^ "Trinamool MP Idris Ali embarrasses party by comparing Mamata Banerjee with Gandhiji". India Today. 30 January 2017. Archived from the original on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ "TMC MP Idris Ali equates Mamata Banerjee to Goddess Saraswati, Mother Teresa". DNA. 25 July 2016. Archived from the original on 11 January 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ "TMC cautions MP Idris Ali for his West Bengal will burn comment". DNA. 1 January 2015. Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ "TMC warns Idris Ali after MP claims PM Modi has links with Pathankot terrorists". First post. Archived from the original on 3 January 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ "The Danga Gurus". Outlook India. December 2014. Archived from the original on 28 May 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ "Idris Ali: প্রয়াত বিধায়ক ইদ্রিশ আলি, বর্ষীয়ান TMC নেতার শেষকৃত্য আজ". Aaj Tak বাংলা (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ a b PTI. "TMC MLA Idris Ali dies from illness". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ "Bengal: TMC MLA Idris Ali passes away".
- ^ সংবাদদাতা, আনন্দবাজার অনলাইন. "প্রয়াত তৃণমূল বিধায়ক ইদ্রিস আলি, দীর্ঘ দিন ধরেই ভুগছিলেন শারীরিক অসুস্থতায়". www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ Trinamool veteran Idris Ali dies at 73, Times of India