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 a 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 the Janta Party’s regime said the country had lost one of the true freedom fighters who always stood for justice of common man throughout his life.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, while paying rich tribute to Abbas 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.