Dawn
15th March 1969
Struggle is against exploiters, not zones: Mujib to propose amendments in Constitution to President
From MAHBUBUL ALAM
RAWALPINDI, March 14: Awami League chief Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said here today that their the “fight” was directed against the “exploiters”-wherever they might be and no matter where from they came.
In a Press interview before his departure for Dacca the Sheikh said he was convinced that the people of West Pakistan support the demands of East Pakistan for regional autonomy and for representation on the basis of population. “But it is the same old clique which is now playing the trick,” he said, and added: “I have seen that the consensus of opinion in this Wing is that people here want the dismemberment of One Unit.”
He said so far as he and his party was concerned there was no difference between the people of Bengal: Punjab, Sind, Beluchistan and NWFP. …
He said when the people had supported the demands of East Pakistan, “I am sure we will succeed” because nobody could suppress the will of the people. He said be would always remember the heroic struggle of the people of East and West Pakistan for the cause of democracy and liberty.
A source close to the Awami League today indicated that the Awami League chief is expected to issue directives to the MNAS belonging to his party to initiate Constitutional Bills in the next session of the Assembly aiming at achieving regional autonomy, dismemberment of one Unit and representation on the basis of population.
The Awami League’s strategy seems to be that it will seek to achieve through private members’ Bills in the National assembly what it has failed to achieve at the round-table conference.
Although the Awami League is yet to come out with its proposed line of action with regard to the still-unresolved Constitutional issues, informed circles believe that the immediate Constitutional step open before it is to seek the desired amendments through private members’ Bills.
So far as the necessary amendments relating to federal parliamentary system and adult franchise are concerned, Awami League cannot but support them as these two also are the desired objectives of the party. To what extent, however, the Awami League will agree with the details of the proposed faderal parliamentary system as conceded by the President will depend on what definition is given in the amending Bill.
PROPOSALS TO AYUB
Agency reports add: Sheikh Mujib said that he would shortly propose certain constitutional amendments to the President.
Sheikh Mujib said he would soon call a meeting of the Working Committee of the Awami League to discuss the political situation in the light of the President’s acceptance of two demands, namely, federal form of Government and election on direct adult franchise.
He said that people’s victory was already in sight. The Awami League chief expressed his confidence that “We will be able to realize all our demands.”
He expressed his determination to continue peaceful and constitutional struggle for the attainment of this objective.
Later, Sheikh Mujib along with his partymen left for Lahore enrout eto Dacca by PIA.-APP/PPI.
‘NO PIECEMEAL APPROACH’
Nisar Osmani cables from Lahore: The Awami League chief expressed the view that the people of West Pakistan wanted the settlement of all the political and constitutional issues facing the country, once for all and not in instalments.
He believed that in view of the peculiar geographical position of the country the people of this Wing supported the demand of regional autonomy for East Pakistan. Refusal on the part of certain leaders to uphold the cause of autonomy, according to him, amounted to nothing but repetition of the same old game by the same old clique which wanted to create confusion in the country.
Talking to newsmen during his brief halt at Lahore airport Sheikh Mujib said that during his short visit to West Pakistan he had gathered that the people here also wanted dismemberment of One Unit.
ELECTIONS
Asked if his party would be contesting elections if they were held on the basis of adult franchise, he said the decision would be taken by the Working Committee of the party.
Answering a question he said he believed in amending the present Constitution to meet various demands of the people as “You cannot throw out the Constitution. You can amend it. You can throw out the Constitution only through Martial Law.”
He described the two-point accord at the RTC as victory of people. These two points, i.e. adult franchise and federal parliamentary form of Government, were also “our points”, he recalled.
Asked if he had met President Ayub before his departure from Rawalpindi he said he hoped to meet the President. To another question about his meeting the President he replied “I might come again”.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was accompanied by Khondkar Mushtaq Ahmad, who was the other Awami League (six points) delegate to the RTC. Mr. A. S. M. Sulaiman, MNA. and Syed Nazrul Islam.
PPI adds from Dacca: The Awami League chief said here tonight that President Ayub would not have any alternative but to accept the legitimate demands of the people if he (Mujib) would have got full support from the East Pakistani participants in the Round Table Conference.
Talking to newsmen at his Dhanmondi residence immediately after his arrival from Rawalpindi he said that unfortunately many of the participants did not follow the mandate of the people.
He said that he had already mentioned the names of the persons who had supported his demands in the RTC, particularly the demands of the people of East Pakistan for full regional autonomy and the demands of the minority provinces of West Pakistan.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman remarked that he had hoped, this time after 22 years of independence leaders like Mr. Hamidul Haq Choudhury, Mr. Abdus Salam Khan, Moulvi Farid Ahmed and Mr. Mahmud Ali would come to their senses.
He said that he had requested the NAP chief Maulana Bhashani to go to the Round Table Conference and had assured him (the Maulana) that he would come back with the Maulana from the RTC if the demands of the people were not accepted.
He said that Maulana Bhashani had rejected his request for reasons which were unknown to him. He criticised the Maulana for his inconsistencies in his recent statements and suggested that the Maulana should retire from active politics.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said that “the ruling junta and the clique” comprising Chaudhry Mohammad Ali, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan and Maualana Maudoodi who ruled the country during the last 22 years had started the same game again with the people.
The Awami League chief declared that the people’s sacrifices could not go in vain. Their cause must be achieved, he added. He said that the movement of the people would continue peacefully and constitutionally.
WARM WELCOME
Sheikh Mujib was accorded a heroic reception when he arrived here from Lahore this evening after attending RTC in Rawalpindi. The Giant PIA Boeing which carried Sheikh Mujib had to be stopped on the runway as it was mobbed by a huge cheering crowd.
A PIA elevator brought out Sheikh Sahib through the pilots’ exit. Later, he was taken in a decorated open truck.
He was driven to the Mazar of Husain Shahid Suhrewardy. It took him about one and-half hours to reach the Farm Gate, some one mile off the airport.-PPI.
সুত্র: সংবাদপত্রে বঙ্গবন্ধু: পঞ্চম খণ্ড ॥ ষাটের দশক ॥ চতুর্থ পর্ব ॥ ১৯৬৯