পরিশিষ্ট
1. Aims and objects and Programme of the Nikhil Banga Krishak Praja Samity
Aims and Objects
1 Full responsible Government for India with adequate and effective safeguards for Mussalmans, and with that end in view work for the immediate replacement of the present Provincial Constitution and the proposed Central Constitution by democratic full self-government.
2 To protect and advance the political and religious and other rights and interests of the Indian Mussalmans.
3 To promote friendship and union between the Mussalmans and other Communities of India.
4 To maintain and strengthen brotherly relations between the Mussalmans of India and those of other countries.
5 Abolition of the present zemindary system (Permanent Settlement) which is highly detrimental to the interests of the people at large by legal and constitutional means.
Programme
1 To protect the religious rights of the Mussalmans. In all matters of purely religious character, due weight shall be given to the opinions of Jamait-ul-Ulema Hind and the Mujtahids.
2 To make every effort to secure the repeal of all repressive laws e.g. the Bengal Criminal Law Amendment Act, the Public Security Act etc.
3 To resist all measures which are detrimental to the interest of Bengal and of India, which encroach on the fundamental liberties of the people and lead to economic exploitation of the country.
4 To reduce heavy cost of the provincial administrative machinery and allocate substantial funds for the nation building departments.
5 To encourage development of industries, including cottage industries through: (a) immediate steps for the fixing of a minimum price for jute, (b) the organisation of marketing and sale of local commodities on a provincial scale, (c) the adoption of Indian products to be used for all Government purposes and (d) the provision of loans, against the security of the Government for the expansion of large-scale and heavy industries.
6 To regulate currency, exchange and prices in the interest of the economic development of the country.
7 To stand for the social, educational and economic uplift of the rural population e.g. state provision and control of public utilities and social welfare services.
8 To sponsor measures for the relief of agricultural indebtedness by raising loans, if necessary.
9 To make elementary education free and compulsory immediately without the imposition of any fresh tax or cess on the tenantry.
10 To protect and promote Urdu language and script, but with proper safeguards for the development of the vernacular.
11 To devise measures for the amelioration of the general conditions of the Mussalmans specially of Bengal.
12 To take steps to reduce the heavy burden of taxation, particularly on the poor.
13 To create a healthy public opinion and general political consciousness throughout the country.
14 Through overhauling of the Bengal Tenancy Act in the interest of the agriculturists ensuring the vesting of proprietory rights in the tillers of the soil and including
i The abolition of the Zemindar’s right of ‘nazar’ and ‘Salamy’ right of pre-emption.
ii Tenants’ right of mutation of name without additional payment.
iii Reduction of rate of rent.
15 To take adequate and effective measures against illegal exactions by the Zemindars, money-lenders and their representatives.
16 To take steps for securing from the Government of India the entire amount realised on account of the duty on jute, and to ear-mark the amount for expenditure on the improvement of agriculture and rural sanitation.
17 To adopt measures for the improvement of agriculture and cattle.
18 To provide for adequate water supply in villages.
19 To resuscitate the dead and dying rivers of Bengal.
20 To take steps for the adequate representation of Muslims and the scheduled castes in the services with a view to ensuring justice to all the Communities.
21 To devise ways and means for the solution of the unemployment problem.
22 To introduce measures for the amelioration of the condition of labourers by the provisions of minimum wages, and control of the condition of sanitation and housing.
I have found a copy of it in the collections of Khan Bahadur A. N. M. Yusuf Ali. It was also published in the Amrita Bazar Patrika, 10 September, 1936.
2. Resolution of the Muslim League at Lahore, 24 March, 1940
1 While approving and endorsing the action taken by the Council and the Working Committee of the All-India Muslim League, as indicated in their resolutions dated the 27th of August, 17th and 18th of September and 22nd of October 1939, and 3rd of February 1940 on the constitutional issue, this session of the All-India Muslim League emphatically reiterates that the scheme of Federation embodied in the Government of India Act, 1935 is totally unsuited to and unworkable in the peculiar conditions of this country and is altogether unacceptable to Muslim India.
2 It further records its emphatic view that while the declaration dated the 18th of October 1939, made by the Viceroy on behalf of His Majesty’s Government is reassuring in so far as it declares that the policy and plan on which the Government of India Act 1935, is based will be reconsidered in consultation with the various parties, interests and communities in India, Muslim India will not be satisfied unless the whole constitutional plan is reconsidered de novo, and that no revised plan would be acceptable to the Muslims unless it is framed with their approval and consent.
3 Resolved that it is the considered view of this session of the All-India Muslim League that no constitutional plan would be workable in this country or acceptable to the Muslims unless it is designed on the following basic principle, viz., that geographically contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be so constituted with such territorial readjustments as may be necessary that the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in a majority, as in the north-western and eastern zones of India, should be grouped to constitute ‘independent states’ in which the constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign : that adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards should be specifically provided in the constitution for minorities in the units and in the regions for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights and interests in consultation with them and in other parts of India where the Muslims are in a minority adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards shall be specifically provided in the constitution for them and other minorities for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights and interests in consultation with them.
This session further authorizes the Working Committee to frame a scheme of constitution in accordance with these basic principles, providing for the assumption finally by the respective regions of all powers such as defence, external affairs, communications, customs and such other matters as may be necessary.
Vide File No.163/40–R, National Archives of India, New Delhi.
3. Resolutions adopted at the Hindu-Muslim Unity Conference held at Calcutta on 20 June, 1942
1 India and more particularly Bengal and Assam are facing to-day the gravest of perils. Foreign aggression threatens not only our security but also our hearths and homes, our hopes and aspirations, our social, economic and cultural stability, in a word everything that we hold dear and inviolable. In view of the daily deterioration of the international situation it has become imperative to harness all our available forces to fight despair and defeatism and prevent a breakdown of our social and economic structure. For such consolidation of our resources of men and money, of intellect, character and energy and to hold ourselves ready against all contingencies, the first condition is the establishement of better communal relations and the creation of an atmosphere of mutual goodwill and co-operation. The need for unity and solidarity of the people of Bengal has never been so pressing and immediate as to-day and it is only on the basis of such unity that we can hope to overcome the perils which threaten to engulf us.
While conscious of the differences in political programme and outlook among the different sections of the people of the province, this conference of the Muslims and the Hindus of Bengal is, therefore, of opinion that the people must unite in the common task of safeguarding internal security and order, storage and distribution of foodstuffs and other essentials, and the provision of medical and other relief irrespective of differences in caste, community, creed or political affiliations, and for the purpose carry on an intensive propaganda to stress the overwhelming identity of interests of the people in this crises and also constitute peace brigades for despatch to areas where there is any apprehension of communal trouble.
2 This conterence is of opinion that in order to create an atmosphere of communal harmony and co-operation, work must be carried on both on a long-term and a short-term policy and for the purpose of permanent Trust Fund must be created for publicity through speeches and pamphlets, creation of a literature of communal harmony and dissemination among the masses of greater knowledge of the common achievement of the communities in the fields of cultural and spiritual activities.
3 In order to carry on the work of creating an atmosphere of communal harmony and co-operation and the consolidation of the people in the tasks of safeguarding internal security, storage and distribution of food stuffs and other essentials and the provision of medical and other relief, resolved that a permanent non-party and unpolitical organisation be set up and for the purpose the council of the Hindu-Muslim Unity Association be formed with direction to frame the constitution and work out a plan and programme of action for the organisations.
Published in the Hindusthan Standard, 21 June, 1942.
4. Letter of A. K. Fazlul Huq. 2 February, 1943 (addressed to the The Statesman)
In his weekly contributions to the columns of your journal ‘Shahed’ under the caption ‘Dar-el-Islam’ lately made the astounding remark that I and my party in Bengal have been carrying on agitation against the Pakistan scheme of the Muslim League.
It is a most atrocious lie and part of the programme of vilifications carried on by the so-called Muslim Leaguers in order to rouse Muslim feelings against me throughout India. Ever since I moved the Pakistan resolution at the open session of the Muslim League at Lahore on March 24, 1940. I have most scrupulously avoided making any observations against the Pakistan scheme. I have realized ever since, that confusion has been made worse confounded by theorists who have from time to time expounded most fantastic ideas about the Pakistan scheme. But I challenge anyone to quote a single word, either in any of my speeches or statements, which may be interpreted as my opposition to the Pakistan idea as such.
On many occasions I felt that the Muslims of Bengal were being misled by false ideas as to the scheme itself, but I have intentionally kept silent, because I thought my comments may be misunderstood. I desire to state categorically that I have never said anything against Pakistan, far less doing anything, which may be interpreted as hostility towards the idea of Pakistan. The remarks of ‘Shahed’ in ‘Dar-el-Islam’ are most mean and mischievous, and have been made without the slightest regard for truth. I write to contradict the atrocious statement that he has made, and if he has regard for truth, he will, I hope, openly acknowledge that he had no justification for his remarks.
I want to make one comment regarding recent utterances about this scheme. Let me quote from the resolution itself : Resolved that it is the considered view of this session of the All India Muslim League that geographically contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be so constituted, with such territorial readjustments as may be necessary, that the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in a majority as in the North-Western and Eastern zones of India should be grouped to constitute ‘Independent states, in which the constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign.
We have to remember that the 3 provinces geographically adjacement to Bengal are Assam, Bihar and Orissa. In Assam, the Muslims are only 35%; in Bihar, 10%; and in Orissa barely 4%.
It is, therefore, evident that Bengal, as constituted, cannot from autonomous states with the geographically adjacent provinces. If, however, Bengal has got to be divided into two, the result will be that the Eastern zone which will be a predominantly Muslim area will be surrounded by 4 Provinces in which Hindus will be in a majority. It is, therefore, no use hoodwinking the Muslims of Bengal that the formula which may hold good in the Punjab will also hold good in Bengal. At the same time, Bengal Muslims realize that they have got to fall into line with the rest of India.
We depend upon that Quad-i-Azam to modify the Pakistan idea so as to enable the Muslims of Bengal also to assert their self-determination along with the Muslims of other provinces and also members of other communities in all the provinces.
Meanwhile, let me once more assure Mr. Shahed of ‘Dar-el-Islam’ that far from organizing and continuing any agitation against the Pakistan idea, I have done nothing either by thought, word, or deed to deserve the atrocious remarks that he had made about me.
Published in The Statesman, 3 February, 1943.
5. A. H. M. Wazir Ali’s Letter
To
Sri Amalendu De, M. A.,
Lecturer in History,
Jadavpur University,
Jadavpur, Calcutta-32.
The 20th June, 1969
My dear nephew,
I am very glad to know that you are collecting materials for writing a comprehensive biography of the late Mr. A. K. Fazlul Huq. Few years before his death he expressed his desire to write his autobiograpy. With that end in view he entrusted my younger brother the late Khan Bahadur A. N. M. Yusuff Ali, Registrar of Assurances, Calcutta to collect materials for him, Mr. Fazlul Huq also advised my brother to contact our cousin the late Khan Bahadur Syed Manzur Murshed for this purpose. But unfortunately Mr. Fazlul Huq could not translate his thoughts into action.
My brother Yusuff Ali had a good collection of Mr. Fuzlul Huq’s private letters and of the paper cuttings from the dailies and weeklies of Calcutta concerning Mr. Fazlul Huq’s speeches and activities during the whole period of Mr. Fazlul Huq’s public life. I have been informed that before the death of my brother Yusuff Ali one big file containing paper cuttings and some other materials had been taken to Dacca by our relation Mr. Syed Azizul Huq (popularly known as Nanna) for the purpose of writing a biography of Mr. Fazlul Huq, but as far as I know Nanna has not utilised those materials in any book on Mr. Fazlul Huq.
I am also very glad to hear that at the time of the departure of my brother’s youngest son Mr. Asaf Ali from here for Pakistan you received from him a large number of Mr. Fazlul Huq’s letters addressed to my brother and various other papers which were still in his possession.
You requested me to hand over all the letters written to me by Mr. Fazlul Huq and other papers concerning his activities which I had preserved so long and it is a great pleasure to me to hand over all the letters and papers to you for such a noble cause. I, now, find that I have lost several important letters of Mr. Fazlul Huq regarding the educational policy of the Government. Any way you will be immensely benefited by my collections on Mr. Fazlul Huq. I believe after interviewing me you are now in possession of enough materials on the life of Mr. Fazlul Huq.
I would request you to go on with your plan of writing a biography of Mr. Fazlul Huq. I am confident that your great efforts will be crowned with a glorious success on account of your sincere devotion to the task. My God bless you.
Yours affectionately,
A. H. M. Wazir Ali
Khan Bahadur
A. H. M. Wazir Ali
I. A. S. (Retd.)
17A, Dilkusha Street,
Calcutta – 17