Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated September 10, 1955: Opposition to Pak. Bill

Mian Iftikharuddin (Independent) said in the Pakistan Constituent Assembly on September 8 that if the Congress had accepted Mr. C. Rajagopalachari's proposal regarding Pakistan in 1942, the history of the Indo-Pakistan sub-continent would have been different. Speaking on the Government Bill to weld West Pakistan's provinces and States into one unit, he said the Government had advanced the very arguments for the unification of West Pakistan provinces which were in vogue with the Congress for opposition to the partition of India. If the United States of America, having the same language and the same culture, could have separate State entities, why the different provinces of West Pakistan, having different languages and cultures, should be forced into an unnatural union, he asked.

Mr. Zahiruddin (Awami League) countered the arguments of a member who favoured unification of West Pakistan because of their dependence on the same rivers. "Should we join India because we and Assam and West Bengal depend on the same rivers," he asked. He said the Government was playing into the hands of Hindus - he corrected himself - Akhand Bharatites --who wanted the reunion of partitioned India. Dr. Sen (Congress) asked whether the member was referring to Hindus or Indians. Amidst cheers, he said there were Hindus in Pakistan also who do not want reunion. Mr. Zahiruddin said he had already corrected himself.

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