Morning News
9th December 1957
Mujibur Rahman’s Allegations Refuted
By A Staff Reporter
Leaders of the various parties in favour of separate electorates severely criticised the statement made by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of Awami League on the events that followed the public meeting held in Dacca on Saturday evening. The leaders in individual statements issued yesterday were all of the opinion that Mr. Mujibur Rahman’s statement was a “tissue of lies and mischievous” and that it was the “awami followers that attacked the procession and were entirely responsible for the events that followed.
Commenting on the statement of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Mr. Shah Azizur Rahman, General Secretary, East Pakistan Muslim League said:
He said: “I am surprised to read a statement of Mr. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman wherein he has tried to depend his party’s position by distorting facts. It is strange that he even does not agree with his own Government’s Press Note with regard to the attack on the pro-separate electorate procession on Dec. 7.
“Mr. Mujibur Rahman’s version that the processionists attacked the people with arms on the side of the Gulisan Cinema Hall is false and mischievous and his statement to the effect that thousands of people raised slogans on both sides of the raid in front of Gulistan Cinema Hall is similarly concocted and fictitious. Now that the Awami League has been exposed before the people for creating violence and for suppressing public opinion by force and coercion, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has come out with a counter-charge to defend himself. In this connection I would like to recall that throughout East Pakistan and particularly in Dacca, Mr. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his storm troopers whom he maintains with high cost has unleashed a rule of terror and violence to intimidate, suppress and coerce Muslim Leaguers and with their help break upon meetings. While there are numerous instances of breaking up our meetings by Awami League workers and leaders including Sardar Nishtar, Maulvi Tamizuddin Kha, Maulana Abdulla el-Kafi, Fazlur Rahman, Maulana Akram Khan having been beater, and assaulted by Mr. Mujibur Rahman’s black forces, there is not one instance where Muslim Leaguers tried to break up their meetings anywhere in East Pakistan.
Force & Assault
Mr. Mujibur Rahman even did not spare his own compatriot and the NAP conference and its leaders Maulana Bhashani and Mian Itfikharuddin were subjected to force and assault in Dacca. It is now abundantly clear that the Awami League Party who claim to establish democracy ever since its inception and more during the regime of their Ministry have been trying to throttle the voice of the people and proper functioning of democracy in the country. “Our only fault is that we are fully prepared to defend ourselves and defend the cause of Islam against aggressive forces of secularism.” “It is not true that our procession while passing through the town attacked two shops owned by minority community. According to my information the shops concerned were attacked by a small procession taken out from the Awami League office at Kalta Bazar as our procession was dispersed at Shahbagh Hotel. “Mr. Rahman has vainly tried to put the blame on us.”
Hashimuddin
Commenting on the statement of the provincial Awami League General Secretary, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Saturday’s incidence, the former Minister of the United Front Government, Mr. Hasimuddin Ahmed, said: “I believe that all goondaism rowyism and lawlessness must be ruthlessly checked.”
Continuing he added: “But I must point out that forces of violence were let loose by the present Government when they broke the Paltan Maidan meeting which was being addressed by Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar, Aliama Maududi, Maulana Ehtashamul Huq and many other prominent leaders during the last National Assembly session in Dacca. Mr. Abdul Qasem, Joint Secretary of the Pakisan Muslim League, Shah Azizur Rahman, Secretary of the Provincial Muslim League, along with many other workers were severely injured in front of the Gulistan Cinema Hall. Earlier, in September, 1956, when the Provincial Assembly was insession, Mr. Mujibur Rahman who will remember they had imposed sec. 144, barvireaded the Assembly House by police, military and barbed wire and some of the members of the Assembly were assaulted within the floor of the House by the Awami League MPAs because they were in favour of separate electorates. My friend Mr. Mujibur Rahman will also remember that another MPA Ghulam Sarwar Hussaini was severely assaulted by an Awami League MPA within the House and I had condemned it forthwith on the floor of the House. Mr. Hashimuddin added, “I might yet cite another instance when Mr. Abdus Salam Khan, myself, Mr. Abdul Latif Biswas, Central Food and Agriculture Minister, were assauited and besmeared with cow dung on out way to the Assembly and we had to take Shelter in the House of the Provost of the Muslim Hall in order to save our lives.
“Organized Violence’
He said : “Numerous such instances of organized violence and breaking of Muslim League meetings can be cited. It therefore looks like a devil preaching sermons when Mr. Mujibur Rahman condemns violence and goondaism. Much is being made out of the alleged raid in front of the Parliament House in Karachi and the sanctity of the House thus violated. I would only wish that my friends of the Awami League would remember that long before they had trespassed and violated the sanctity of the Parliament and of the right of the members when they encouraged and connived at hooliganism and violence both inside and outside the East Pakistan Assembly chambers.
“I took note of Mr. Rahman’s warning for what it is worth. I would only wish my friend who remembers that example is better than precepts for they initiated the process of lawlessness and violence. It is for them to cry hault before it is too late. Concluding he said: “As regards incidence after the Paltan Maidan meeting on Saturday, I must make it perfectly clear as an eye witness and us one who had received injury that gravest provocations were given by a few Awami League workers standing within the enclosures and some of the house tops on the Jinnah Avenue. When the procession was peacefully proceeding straight ahead towards Ramna Post Office on way to Shahbagh Hotel, brickbats were hurled by a few persons from within the enclosures which infuriated the processionists. Mean while the police intervened and the hooligans took shelter in the nearby sports clubs.”
Azizul Huq
Syed Azizul Huq, Working President of the Pakistan Krishak Sramik Party in a statement refuted the report published in a section of the local Press that he had “planned to start communal riot” and characterised it as false malicious and made with a design to lower me in the estimation of the people.” Mr. Huq in course of the statement said, “I do not claim that many people know me but I very humbly claim those who know me, they know it quite well how impossible it is for me to work according to the report of Saturday’s meeting that has been published in one of the dailies of Dacca which beats the drum of Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury and which boosts him up in season and out of season as the Krishak Sramik Chief with at least one follower in the Central Parliament. “I do not want to enter into any controversy with Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury at this stage. I have asked my lawyer to take necessary steps.”
KSP Secretary
Mr. Md. Sulaiman, General Secretary, East Pakistan Krishak Sramik Party, in a statement yesterday said: “I was surprised to see a news item published in a section of Press and particularly in the organ of Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury. The historic meeting at Paltan Maidan on Saturday has shaken the root of the joint electorate movement in the country and now being frustrated they have started false and malicious propaganda against the popular movement in East Pakistan in support of separate electorate. It is the blackest lie that pro-joint electorate demonstrators were attacked by the procession. The news published in the neutral daily papers like the Statesman etc., said that the procession was attacked by the Awami League demonstrators.
Procession Remained Calm
“The Press Note published by the Awami League Government in East Pakistan also stated that the procession was attacked and brick-bats were thrown on them on the Jinnan Avenue. In spite of all provocations the procession remained calm and reached its destination peacefully. In this connection I further want to say that workers of the Nizam-e-Islam, Krishak Sramik Party, Muslim League and other organisations were attacked by the Awami League workers while giving publicity for the meeting.
Buses Attacked
“Buses carrying workers to the meeting from Narayanganj were also attacked at Narayanganj near the house of one of the important Awami Leader at Narayanganj. A lot these facts will prove the designs of the Awami Leaguers who want to suppress public opinion by hooliganism. It is known to everybody that the supporters of separate electorate were mercilessly beaten in the same place last year where the hooligans attacked the procession on Saturday. The pro joint electorate organisations including the Awami League recently organised meetings at Paltan maidan where there had been no disturbance. It is not that we could not disturb it but we did not want the same so long. Now I give a timely warning to the Awami League and other organisations who want to suppress and disturb activities of other organisations by hooliganism will have to face serious consequence in future. “As regards the communal riotery launched simultaneously by the organ of Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury and Mr. Mujibur Rahman, General Secratary of the Awami League, I can simply say that this false and malicious propaganda has been made to earn sympathy of the minority communities and to arouse communal pressure in Bharat. I warn the propagandists not to play with fire, any thereat to peace will not be tolerated by the people. “Lastly I appeal to my countrymen not to pay any attention to the propaganda of a group of frustrated politicians and to remain calm and to maintain peace in the country which is urgently needed at present.”
Jamaat’s Reaction
Prof. Ghulam Azam, General Secretary Jamaat-e-Islami, East Pakistan, issued the following statement : “Since Awami League has come to power in East Pakistan goondaism has become at permanent feature in our politics. After the recent Karachi incident when even the Awami Leaguers were found condemning goondaism we expected some improvement in the political outlook of this party. But the occurrences of last few days specially at Narayanganj have disappointed us.
“Last year the Awami Leaguers disturbed the meeting of the all party committee of action for separate electorate at Paltan Maidan and attacked the procession near Gulistan. Of course they did not dare face the determined supporters of separate electorate at the Paltan Maidan on Saturday evening. But they maintained their tradition by attacking brick bating the procession which was going from the Paltan Maidan to the Shahbagh Hotel for demonstrating before the Republican Fact Finding Committee.
“Goondaism Does not Pay’
“We appeal to the good sense of the Awami Leaguers to rectify themselves and to alow democracy to develope in this country. They should know that goondaism does not pay, it will rather be paid back in their own coins. “It is a strange fact that when Awamis are attacked by people they call it goondaism, but if Awamis themselves attack their opponents they call it “spontaneous out-burst of public indignation.” We condemn this kind of reasoning along with goondaism whoever may be indulging in it.”
Nezam-e-Islam
Mr. Khurshiduddin Ahmed, MPA, (VP) and Mr. Mahdi Ali Khan Panhi, (VP) and Maulana Siddique Ahmed MPA, (General Secretary), East Pakistan Nezam-e-Islam Party, issued the following joint statement yesterday: “It is regretted that in spite of the police arrangement, a handful of hired hooligans who stood bewildered by the unprecedented gathering, at a corner of the Jinnah Avenue, had the courage to throw brickbats from behind the wall at the surging waves of countless human heads of the separate electorate meeting of the Paltan Maidan, when moving in a procession towards the west and thereby attempted to create a scene of rowdyism. Besides the various processions from different quarters of the Dacca City, Narayanganj, Mirkadim and other places were faced with dastardly and preplanned attacks of the opponents. “In consequence, 30 buses from Narayanganj could not proceed to the meeting. A driver, a few workers were seriously wounded, some buses were damaged, there glass panes being broken. Of the culprits seven were arrested on the spot and others were followed by the crowd.”