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]
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".[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
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.[11][12]
Death
Ali 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]