Freedom fighter Captain Abbas Ali who was part of the Indian National Army (INA) died of a cardiac arrest at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in Aligarh on Saturday morning. He was 94 and is survived by son Qurban Ali and two daughters.
An alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Ali had joined the British Indian Army in 1939, shortly before the outbreak of World War II. In 1945, when Subhash Chandra Bose raised the banner of armed revolt, Abbas left the British army and joined the INA. Shortly thereafter, he was arrested, court marshaled and sentenced to death. When India gained independence, he was released from prison before the death sentence was meted out.
Ali’s death was condoled by many senior leaders particularly who were associated with socialist movement. Former union minister, Beni Prasad Verma while remembering Abbas Ali, said that he was like Guardian for him and he learnt a lot from him during his earlier days in the politics.
Uttar Pradesh Congress Media Cell chairman, Satyadev Tripathi, who worked with Abbas Ali during Janta Party’s regime said the country had lost one of the true freedom fighter who always stood for justice of common man throughout his life.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, while paying rich tribute to Abbad Ali, said that he was a front ranking freedom fighter, and added that his rich contribution towards the freedom of India through Azad Hind Fauj will be remembered forever.
Abbas Ali joined politics under the influence of socialist party leaders including Ram Manohar lohia, Acharya Narendra Dev and Jai Prakash Narain. In 1966, he was appointed State General Secretary of Sanyukt Socialist Party. He was appointed as a member of the national executive of the Socialist Party.
He was arrested again during the emergency in 1975 and remained behind bars during the entire period of emergency.In 1977, when emergency was lifted and his party merged with the Janata Party, he was elected to Uttar Pradesh legislative Council and was appointed as the first President of Uttar Pradesh Unit of the Janata Party.
Shortly before his death, while attending a public function at Aligarh on the eve of 15th August, Captain Ali had said, “There is only one unfulfilled wish of my life and that is that the true story behind the last few days of my leader Subhash Chandra Bose should see the light of the day. “West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamta Banerjee has assured me that she will leave no stone unturned to unravel the mystery behind his death”, he had said.