‘মহারাজা’ অথবা ‘মহারানী’ গণতান্ত্রিক দেশে চলতে দেয়া যায়না – বঙ্গবন্ধু
২৪ সেপ্টেম্বর ১৯৫৫
করাচী
The constituent assembly of Pakistan:
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Sir, this refers to assets and properties vested in Her Majesty, I feel this is an insult, Sir, I will take only two minutes. This is of constitutional importance. As a sovereign body we are free here to make a constitution as we like. We can do whatever we like and we are not going to vest our assets in Her Majesty the Queen but we must vest them in the people of Pakistan, or the State of Pakistan. My friend said that somebody may go to court and challenge it. Take the case of India. They have declared themselves a Republic. We hold everything for the people, for the State of Pakistan and we do not like any more “Her Majesty the Queen” or “His Majesty the king” in a democratic country, a country of the people of Pakistan, the Republic of Pakistan. I think the whole country, entire people of Pakistan, will be insulted if we vest all the property and assets in Her Majesty the Queen for the purpose of the Government of the province of West Pakistan. We must vest it in West Pakistan or the people of West Pakistan. I think, Sir, this is an insult not to the House, this august House, not to you, but to the people of Pakistan as a whole. I would request my honourable friend. I know my request would go in vain, because they have got majority and they will pass it and Mr. Gurmani will say we are wasting the time.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Sir, ours is a democratic country. We cannot agree to any position under which a zamindar a single person may have 25 lakhs of rupees and other people die of starvation. Sir, Pakistan was not achieved for that. Pakistan has been achieved for poor people. Sir, there are people who are dying of starvation, who are not getting food and clothe. The Quaid-i-Azam had said that Pakistan was being achieved for the poor people that poor people will get justice in Pakistan. But what is happening here? You only speak of abolition of zamindari, you only speak of abolition of jagirdari, but in actual practice you do nothing. If a demand is made for abolition of feudal system, they say it is unIslamic. Sir, I want to know, is it justice? Sir, I want to know, is it Islam? Sir, there should be justice, equity, and fairplay. You are making a provision for safeguarding the private property of the Rulers who are living like Emperors. Sir, I know that here in West Pakistan, some people have property of 25 lakhs of acres, some have 15 lakhs of acres. While others have only one acres of land. If we say keep some 10 thousand or 5 thousand acres for yourself and distribute the rest among the poor people of Pakistan, then you will say “you are Communist; you are pro-Communist’. Sir, we do not take that stand. But I tell you, Sir, that the vast properties of the Rulers should be taken away, should be confiscated and given to the poor people of our country. You have got the Legislative Assembly, you have got the representatives of the people; why not give the power to the Legislative Assembly. Sir, why do they want to give power to the Governor-General. Sir, that is not fair. Please do justice to the poor people. Please do not give this power to the
Governor-General to safeguard the property of the Rulers. My ads sitting, opposite, some of them Rulers, are laughing at me. But I tell them, Sir that you can laugh at me for the time being, but some day people will laugh at you. The people will come forward and say to you “we want our rights, leave and let us live”. Sir, a day will come when the people will say that. Sir, at present the people are starving, they do not have clothe, they do not have food.
Reference:
Iqbal, S. (1997) Sheikh Mujib in Parliament (1955-58), p. 40-51, Dhaka, Agami Prakashani