স্টেট ল্যাংগুয়েজ’ সম্পর্কে বিশদ প্রস্তাবনা
১৬ ফেব্রুয়ারি ১৯৫৬
করাচী
The constituent assembly of Pakistan:
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (East Bengal: Muslim): Many others will also speak. If the Deputy Speaker of the House gave five minutes time it was on an assurance given to the House that if an Honourable Member made important points, the time could be extended to ten or even fifteen minutes. I am opposing the amendment of Sardar Amir Azam Khan.
(The Honourable Sardar Amir Azam Khan: The amendment has been moved by Mr. Yusuf Haroon.)
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: In your name! I do not know where from the third pilot of the Bill got this encouragement. This amendment has come before the House while we are actually framing the Constitution, and so many clauses have already passed. It is not a question of insulting the President question of election pure and simple. It may be that the election of the President may be unfair and the affected person must have a right to appeal to the judiciary. This provision is not for any Acting President, in which case we may have ignored. In a House of 300 representatives it is possible that there may be two, three or even four candidates for the office of the President and in the counting of votes it is just possible that there may be a mistake – may be unintentional. Well, the defeated candidate must have a right to challenge the election of the President.
How is it that they have come forward with this amendment at this stage? Have they got any threat from a person who is likely to become the President of the Republic of Pakistan? Perhaps that is the reason why they have come forward with the amendment that the validity of the election of the President shall not be questioned in any court of law. Can you quote a single instance from the constitutions of the world where such elections cannot be questioned in a court of law? Well, it is the question of fair and free elections. We are not insulting the President, you have provided that the House can discuss the activities of the President and here you say that his election cannot be questioned. What is your intention? Do you want to make a farce of it and discredit Pakistan in the eyes of the world just to satisfy one or two persons?
(An Honourable Member: Why not quote some other instances?
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: I am not going to challenge the second pilot. This is the position. Supposing I contest Sardar Amir Azam Khan and I am defeated. For my satisfaction I should have a right to challenge the election. It is surprising that these people come forward with anything and everything they like. God knows where they are sending Pakistan! I would appeal to them to consider the issue and withhold the amendment. I would counsel them to consult their leaders, the Prime Minister and the Law Minister, before they come forward with such an amendment.
With these words I oppose the amendment of Honourable Sardar Amir Azam Khan, moved by Mr. Yusuf Haroon.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Sir, while speaking on the motion before the House I recall the sacrifices and sufferings undergone by the students of East Bengal as a result of which about fifteen hundred people went to jail. In the end the Government recognised their demand on account of the force of public opinion, and accepted Bengali as one of the State languages.
Sir, I can appreciate the force of the argument that it requires time to replace English, but the question is what is the period of time involved. If the State patronises the State languages, then I do not think more than ten years are necessary. I remember to have gone to China in 1952, three years after their liberation in 1949 – and was impressed by the manner in which they had substituted Chinese during that small period. The same thing could be done here. It may take two years or three years or a little more, but the target should be ten years. In the circumstances I appeal to the mover of the Bill to accept this amendment of ten years.
Sir, may I refer to sub-clause (2) of clause 221 of the Bill: “On the expiration of ten years from the Constitution Day, the President shall appoint a Commission to make recommendations for the replacement of English.” This is all very vague. Everything should be categorically stated here, because God knows what will happen and we have seen many times how the people of Bengal have been cheated; how the people of Pakistan have been cheated. I hold the same views about Urdu. They also want, with us, that English should be replaced by Urdu and Bengali within ten years. They are very anxious; it is their demand. In all their meetings they are demanding the samething. I am not speaking for Bengali alone. I am speaking for Bengali and Urdu, because these are the two State languages of Pakistan today.
Another point is that if we have accepted two languages it does not mean that the languages of Sind and the Punjab and Frontier should be finished. We want that their languages should also be developed, but it is impossible without Government help. All provisions for their development should be categorically stated here because they may not get a shock afterwards. Here in West Pakistan there are several languages which are well developed: Sindi, Pushto, Punjabi and Baluchi and there are pictures produced in those languages. If the West Pakistan Govt. patronises these languages, definitely it will go a long way to develop them and each one of them can be one of the best languages of the world. Every language can be developed. I have another amendment on the subject which I am not moving because I am lending my support to this amendment.
I request that if they accept this amendment of Mr. Mahmud Ali: “Notwithstanding anything in this clause the Federal and the Unit Government shall take all possible …..”
(Mr. Speaker: You have already spoken.)
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: I am giving my point.
(Mr. Speaker: You need not repeat.)
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: “…… measures for the development and growth of all national languages of Pakistan, namely, Bengali, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushto, Baluchi and Urdu.” If I mention here the name of a country some of my friends may be frightened – I am speaking about Soviet Russia. That country also, Sir, helped the other states like Uzbekistan and others to develop their own languages and the Central Government of Russia is helping them. They have recognised every national language of the country and these have been developed in such a way that those are one of the best languages. Similarly we have our groups. We have made one Unit and there are three or four languages in that Unit: Sindi, Punjabi, Baluchi and Pushtu. These four languages are there. We must provide in the Constitution that the West Pakistan Government must take all steps to develop these four languages. Otherwise what will happen? It might be that a particular province who are in a majority, may suppress the other languages of the Unit. This is the point to which I wish to draw the attention of the House. I would appeal to them to accept the amendment of Mr. Mahmud Ali and our amendments, about ten years. If I speak in Bengali they cannot follow; if they speak in Urdu, I cannot follow. But if we can develop, I will speak in Urdu and they will speak in Bengali and this will lead to greater friendship and co-operation and Pakistan will become stronger. Ten years is a sufficient period.
Reference:
Iqbal, S. (1997) Sheikh Mujib in Parliament (1955-58), p. 216-220, Dhaka, Agami Prakashani