বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (দ্বিতীয় খণ্ড)/১২৯
| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
| মওলানা ভাসানীর নির্বাচনী ভাষণ | এ,পি,পি | ৫ নভেম্বর, ১৯৭০ |
The following is the English rendering of the text of the Radio and Television address by National Awami Party Chief, Maulana Bhashani, which was broadcast and telecast on November 5.
“The object of the next elections is to frame the best possible constitution for Pakistan. A constitution serves as a heart for the country. A country cannot be administered without a constitution as a man cannot live without a heart.”
“I appeal to the people and request them that the election should be completed in a peaceful manner and in a democratic fashion. The people should place their demand before the candidates contesting the forthcoming elections, so that these demands are implemented.”
“I also appeal to the candidates that the election process should be completed peacefully, there should be no trouble so that the Nation does not have to face with more chaos. Nothing should be done to make bloodshed in the country and all possible steps should be taken to complete the elections in an atmosphere of love and affinity, and in spite of ideological differences, friendships can be maintained.”
“In every country' of the world democracy is established through election, and we should feel it as our duty to maintain law and order, and make every effort for this purpose.”
“I had even earlier asked president Yahya Khan that whether you are from East or West, you should call a National Convention of all Political Parties, Minorities, Trade Unions, Peasants and Student Leaders, so that they can present their view point for the formulation of an agreed constitution”.
Love Pakistan
Even if there are thousands of differences among us; all should love Pakistan. We have to formulate such a constitution as could safeguard the integrity of the country, by way of meeting the demands and needs of peasants, workers, class III and class IV employees, primary. secondary and higher teachers, and their demands are implemented. Capitalists and moneyed people should not be allowed, not they be the only persons to become people's representatives.
“I had suggested earlier that through mutual consultations, if an agreed portion of the constitution was first framed, at a National conference the remaining constitution making work will become easier inside the Constituent Assembly. But the Government did not accept my request till today.”
“The name of this country is Pakistan, there is no such country anywhere in the world”.
If somebody indulges in getting bribes, and tries to represent the people he will never frame a law to punish corrupt officials. The one who himself is corrupt, can never have a good advice for others. The persons, who drink or indulge in black-marketing and exploit the people, are destroying the country.
The people who have connection with foreign countries, and even with enemylike countries, they can never do anything for the welfare, prosperity, and progress of Pakistan. That’s why it should have been arranged that black marketers, drunkards, and those who do not love Pakistan, or spy for other countries, should not be allowed to become people's representatives.
It is regrettable that it has become a custom in my country that those who come in power do not properly represent their people.
Since the creation of Pakistan, no honest, poor Pakistani could get a chance to become a representative. The reason is quite clear that the Government have imposed a restriction that anyone desirous to fight elections must deposit a sum of rupees one thousand as security. The peasants who constitute 85 per cent of population do not have rice or flour and how they can deposit a security of rupees one thousand. Therefore, they remain completely deprived.
The workers who constitute 10 per cent of the population also live a miserable life and the wages they get are the lowest in the world.
Condition of peasants and laborers in both wings of the country is similar, and both lack ever-basic facilities here including food, education.
Ninety-five percent of the population is illiterate; they cannot write even their names. Therefore, I had demanded that on population basis 95 per cent seats in the Assemblies should be reserved for peasants and laborers. A peasant or a laborer cannot contest elections against jagirdars, industrialists and corrupt retired Government officials. Therefore, in the prevailing circumstances he can never have an access to the Assemblies. They can neither have a hand in the affairs of constitution-making nor in Jaw-making.
In West Pakistan jagirdars own land and cultivators have nothing. If a cultivator dies he does not have small piece of land for his grave.
In such circumstances if he opposes jagirdar or nominates his own representative or he votes against the landlord, the landlord will subject him to forceful eviction from the land.
It is an old custom that the peasants are forced to favor their landlord. They are considered duty bound to vote for the man who happens to be their landlords. If we do not do so we wil die unfed, we will be forced to die along with our hungry families.
In such conditions no peasant will vote against his landlord. Neither he will support anyone else than his jagirdar, because everyone is aware of the consequences to follow.
Even during the British rule over the Indo-Pak sub-continent, a few seats had been reserved for laborers but after that laborers of Pakistan could not get even that right.
I appeal to the Government and all political leaders in the name of God to make a constitution which could ensure food, education, and provision of all fundamental rights to the peasants and reserve seats in Assemblies for laborers and peasants on population basis. Minimum wage of laborers should be fixed at Rs. 250.00 per month.
In our country big officials get high salaries, live a luxurious life and possess big buildings but on the other hand school teachers, other Government employees and laborers are starving.
“You cannot send your children to school even up to primary standard. Education up to Secondary standard should be made compulsory, free and without any expenditure. This demand should be fulfilled.
“I request that land should be distributed among the landless peasants and agricultural laborers. Those jagirdars, who possess 10 or 12 bungalows and have six sons to augment the income of their families, will not fall short of money if their jagirdaris are abolished. But how landless peasants whose number runs in to thousands and lakhs can make both ends meet should be realized by you.
If the state confusion continues, the constitution would not prove useful, no Government will be permanent, the poor people will continue lamenting, the problems will continue to increase, the confusion will increase. In this state of affairs, no Government backed by imperialism or by capitalists will be able to survive for more than two years. Such a Government will not last even for one year. The Government will be compelled to call the army again. It is better that we should create conditions so that we do not call the army for the second time. It is, therefore, imperative that the demands of the working classes should be included in the constitution in full. The demands of the peasants and the students should also be included in the constitution.
Education has become so costly that poor people cannot afford to send their children to schools. The expenditure side has gone up one hundred times higher. Therefore, I demand from the Government and the future representatives of the people that they should frame such a constitution which could become popular with the peasants, the labor classes and the low-paid employees. If it is not done, you will have to call the army again and the Government will have to be run with the help of the army. It is a matter of shame.
Democratic country
The Quaid-i-Azam had also said that the Government in Pakistan would be a democratic country. There would be no dictatorship in Pakistan nor there a military Government.
The Quaid i-Azam had also said that the Government in Pakistan would be run by the people. The sufferings of the peasants would end. The difficulties faced by the laborers and the students would be removed.
The Quaid-i-Azam had said that every citizen of Pakistan would have equal opportunity to educate his children.
But it is a pity that despite the passage of 23 years during which several Governments came and went down, no one realized that 95 per cent of the population neither knows Urdu nor Bengali nor English nor Arabic. No step was taken during the past 23 years in this direction.
It was the duly of the Government to educate the people on the significance of the vote. The people should have been taught as to why a, vote is cast. This should have been done through education and publicity media.
The people should have been told as to what the meaning of vote is and what qualities are required in a person seeking vote from the people.
Firm Belief.
This is my conviction that until the Government is controlled by the jagirdars and capitalists, nothing will be done for the betterment of the peasants and the laborers. Therefore, I am of the firm belief that the salvation of the poor lies only in the path of socialism. But now when the elections have started, I will call upon the people that there should be no corruption in the elections.
The corruption has increased more than 100 per cent. The corrupt people whether they are in the mills, or happen to be jagirdars or businessmen or black marketers, all of them are destroying Pakistan. You should be aware of such people and should not cast your votes for money, If all the people turn corrupt and the corruption spreads among the peasants also, this country will be ruined.
The remedy is that the people should think collectively as to how the future constitution for the country is to be framed. If possible, political leaders should afford an opportunity to meet and discuss the question of framing of constitution. If Pakistan survives, we will survive. If Pakistan is ruined, everybody including the peasants, the laborers and jagirdars, the capitalists, educated and the uneducated will all be ruined. Therefore you should move unitedly to save the country from the external and internal enemies.
You, therefore, should unite to save Pakistan from internal and external enemies, make efforts to preserve security of Pakistan, to make Pakistan prosperous, to promote unity and to do away with disruption. Unity is the most needed thing, we pray to guidance of Allah to unite all of us, to create understanding between all the political parties to unite them so that they are on their guard against the external enemies. We are surrounded by enemies from all nooks and corners who are out to destroy Pakistan.
If Pakistan exists all the political parties in it will exist. Nobody can even dare to set up a political party of his own choice to achieve its objective if Pakistan is merged into India or assumes any other shape or becomes a confederation.
We, therefore, should stand united to make Pakistan strong and prosperous, to eliminate drinking from Pakistan to cut down unnecessary expenditure, to drive out corruption, to wipe out black-marketing, and to prevent smuggling of edibles like rice.
pulses, chilies, ghee and other articles of daily use worth lakhs of rupees to India. We should unite to award exemplary punishments to defaulters. Whosoever loves his homeland namely Pakistan is a true Pakistani.
Appeal.
But the one who lives in Pakistan and wants to harm it is a traitor, dishonest and an enemy of Pakistan.
I repeat my appeal to you that at least 95 per cent of you should strengthen our organisation so that we can establish with God's help the rule of peasants and laborers. We will definitely establish it.
May God enable us to do so. O' God grant us the power to become honest.
We may abhor what has been prohibited by you. O' God guide us, give guidance to all the Pakistanis, give guidance to the people at the helm of affairs so that they should ignore selfish gains, should rise above their personal ends and losses, should give up gambling, should give up corruption, blackmarketing and smuggling.
O' God grant us the power that we, the 13 crore Pakistanis, should stand united, become strong to preserve the integrity of Pakistan and to make it a strong and prosperous country.
In the event of an aggression against Pakistan we will fight to the last and never accept subjugation. We are a free nation and we will live with free thinking and in accordance with the dictates of God and the Holy Prophet, Ameen, Pakistan Zindabad, Pakistan Paindabad.”—APP.