Idris Ali (politician)
{{Short description|Indian politician (1950–2024)}}
{{for|the Egyptian author of the same name|Idris Ali}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Idris Ali
| native_name = ইদ্রিশ আলি
| image = Idris Ali - Kolkata 2023-03-29 4886.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Ali in 2023
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1950|12|30}}[https://brbcollege.in/tmc-mla-idris-ali-dies-cause-of-death-explored/ TMC MLA Idris Ali Dies: Cause of death explored]
| birth_place = Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| residence = Kolkata, West Bengal, India{{cite web|title=Loksabha 2014|work=National election watch|url=http://myneta.info/ls2014/candidate.php?candidate_id=9340|access-date=9 July 2014|archive-date=11 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811065735/http://myneta.info/ls2014/candidate.php?candidate_id=9340|url-status=live}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2024|02|16|1950|12|30}}
| death_place = Howrah, India
| office = Member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly
| term_start = 6 May 2021
| term_end = 16 February 2024
| predecessor = Mahasin Ali
| successor = Reyat Hossain Sarkar
| constituency = Bhagabangola
| term_start1 = 2019
| term_end1 = 2021
| predecessor1 = Haider Aziz Safwi
| successor1 = Bidesh Ranjan Bose
| constituency1 = Uluberia Purba
| office2 = Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
| constituency2 = Basirhat
| salary =
| term_start2 = 16 May 2014
| term_end2 = 23 May 2019
| predecessor2 = Haji Sk. Nurul Islam
| successor2 = Nusrat Jahan
| chiefminister1 =
| otherparty = Indian National Congress
| party = All India Trinamool Congress
| profession = Lawyer, politician
| education = BSc, LL.B
| spouse =
| college =
| children = 3
| alma_mater = St. Paul's Cathedral Mission College (BSc),
Surendranath Law College (LL.B)
| website =
}}
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.
Early life and education
Idris Ali was born on 30 December 1950. He was educated at St. Paul's Cathedral Mission College and Surendranath Law College.[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections/candidates/idris-ali TMC: Idris Ali]
Political career
Ali 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.{{Cite web|url=http://twocircles.net/2014may18/eight_muslim_mps_west_bengal.html|title=Eight Muslim MPs from West Bengal|work=TwoCircles.net|date=18 May 2014|access-date=18 June 2017|archive-date=3 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103005150/http://twocircles.net/2014may18/eight_muslim_mps_west_bengal.html|url-status=live}}
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.{{cite web|title=TMC MP Idris Ali receives threat calls for stand against demonetisation|url=https://indiatoday.in/lite/story/demonetisation-tmc-mp-idris-ali-threat-calls-bjp-pm-narendra-modi/1/852513.html|work=India Today|date=8 January 2017 |access-date=18 June 2017|archive-date=19 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240219102327/https://opinion.intoday.in/new/amp/comment/get?referUrl=/amp/india/story/demonetisation-tmc-mp-idris-ali-threat-calls-bjp-pm-narendra-modi-953846-2017-01-08&accessKey=7cnkTrQUisNpOXVbEvexF0dDSw3h6YIg&postId=953846&host=www.indiatoday.in&contenttype=story&adsCategory=India_Today&ver=15102020-41|url-status=live}}
On 13 March 2019, Mamata Banerjee announced that Ali would not contest the upcoming general election.{{cite web |title=Trinamul MPs who were not renominated |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/trinamul-mps-who-were-not-renominated/cid/1686728 |publisher=The Telegraph |access-date=14 March 2019 |date=13 March 2019 |archive-date=21 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921002714/https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/trinamul-mps-who-were-not-renominated/cid/1686728 |url-status=live }}
Views
Ali 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".{{cite web|title=Trinamool MP Idris Ali embarrasses party by comparing Mamata Banerjee with Gandhiji|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/trinamool-congress-mp-idris-ali-mahatma-gandhi-mamata-banerjee-governor-keshari-nath-tripathi/1/870394.html|work=India Today|date=30 January 2017 |access-date=18 June 2017|archive-date=3 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203193135/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/trinamool-congress-mp-idris-ali-mahatma-gandhi-mamata-banerjee-governor-keshari-nath-tripathi/1/870394.html|url-status=live}} He also equated Banerjee with the Hindu goddess Saraswati and the Christian missionary Mother Teresa for doing "developmental work".{{Cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-tmc-mp-idris-ali-equates-mamata-banerjee-to-goddess-saraswati-mother-teresa-2238119|title=TMC MP Idris Ali equates Mamata Banerjee to Goddess Saraswati, Mother Teresa|date=25 July 2016|work=DNA|access-date=18 June 2017|archive-date=11 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111203824/http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-tmc-mp-idris-ali-equates-mamata-banerjee-to-goddess-saraswati-mother-teresa-2238119|url-status=live}}
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.{{Cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-tmc-cautions-mp-idris-ali-for-his-west-bengal-will-burn-comment-2048816|title=TMC cautions MP Idris Ali for his West Bengal will burn comment|date=1 January 2015|work=DNA|access-date=18 June 2017|archive-date=29 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329013436/http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-tmc-cautions-mp-idris-ali-for-his-west-bengal-will-burn-comment-2048816|url-status=live}}
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".{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/politics/tmc-warns-idris-ali-after-leader-claims-pm-modi-has-links-with-pathankot-terrorists-2572468.html/amp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103010333/https://www.firstpost.com/politics/tmc-warns-idris-ali-after-leader-claims-pm-modi-has-links-with-pathankot-terrorists-2572468.html/amp|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 January 2019|title=TMC warns Idris Ali after MP claims PM Modi has links with Pathankot terrorists|publisher=First post|access-date=18 June 2017}}
Controversy
Ali 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.{{cite web|title=The Danga Gurus|date=December 2014 |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/the-danga-gurus/292761|publisher=Outlook India|access-date=18 June 2017|archive-date=28 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528104838/https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/the-danga-gurus/292761|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=Idris Ali: প্রয়াত বিধায়ক ইদ্রিশ আলি, বর্ষীয়ান TMC নেতার শেষকৃত্য আজ |url=https://bangla.aajtak.in/kolkata/story/tmc-mla-and-veteran-leader-idris-ali-passed-away-at-73-arg-887973-2024-02-16 |access-date=16 February 2024 |website=Aaj Tak বাংলা |language=bn |archive-date=16 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240216052228/https://bangla.aajtak.in/kolkata/story/tmc-mla-and-veteran-leader-idris-ali-passed-away-at-73-arg-887973-2024-02-16 |url-status=live }}
Death
Ali was admitted to a private hospital in Howrah on 13 February 2024 as he was unable to breathe properly.{{cite web|url=https://uniindia.com/home.aspx/news/page-5/~/philippine-landslide-death-toll-rises-to-54/World/news/~/pm-on-two-day-visit-to-uae-qatar-from-feb-13/India/news/~/bengal-tmc-mla-idris-ali-passes-away/States/news/3144572.html|title=Bengal: TMC MLA Idris Ali passes away}} He died on 16 February 2024 due to several illnesses, at the age of 73.{{Cite web |last=PTI |title=TMC MLA Idris Ali dies from illness |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/west-bengal/tmc-mla-idris-ali-dies-from-illness-2897354 |access-date=16 February 2024 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en |archive-date=16 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240216060909/https://www.deccanherald.com/india/west-bengal/tmc-mla-idris-ali-dies-from-illness-2897354 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=সংবাদদাতা |first=আনন্দবাজার অনলাইন |title=প্রয়াত তৃণমূল বিধায়ক ইদ্রিস আলি, দীর্ঘ দিন ধরেই ভুগছিলেন শারীরিক অসুস্থতায় |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/tmc-mla-and-ex-mp-idris-ali-passed-away-at-the-age-of-73-dgtl/cid/1496470 |access-date=16 February 2024 |website=www.anandabazar.com |language=bn |archive-date=16 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240216040528/https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/tmc-mla-and-ex-mp-idris-ali-passed-away-at-the-age-of-73-dgtl/cid/1496470 |url-status=live }} He was survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/trinamool-veteran-idris-ali-dies-at-73/articleshow/107768088.cms?_gl=1*1h9rabe*_ga*OTIyMjQ2OC4xNzA4NjU5MjA2*_ga_FCN624MN68*MTcwODY1OTIwNS4xLjAuMTcwODY1OTIwNS4wLjAuMA..#_ga=2.225627228.712701273.1708659206-9222468.1708659206 Trinamool veteran Idris Ali dies at 73], Times of India
References
{{reflist}}
{{16th LS members from West Bengal|state=expanded}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ali, Idris}}
Category:Lok Sabha members from West Bengal
Category:St. Paul's Cathedral Mission College alumni
Category:University of Calcutta alumni
Category:Trinamool Congress politicians from West Bengal
Category:West Bengal MLAs 2016–2021