New Delhi, Aug 7: Dr. Karan Singh, a senior statesman and former Member of Parliament, expressed his profound distress over the defacement and destruction of the statue of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of Bangladesh.
In a statement issued here today, the former Member of Parliament, said “Having seen the whole saga of the Bangladesh freedom struggle from within Smt. Indira Gandhi Cabinet culminating in the magnificent victory on 16 Dec. 1971 when Pakistani Gen. Niazi surrendered to the Indian Army along with 72,000 troops and leaving hundreds of sq. miles of Pakistani territory in our control; and having had the privilege of meeting Bangbandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman when he stopped in Delhi after his release from prison on his way to Dhaka, it is extremely painful to see visuals of his statue being defaced and pulled down. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the father of Bangladesh and it is no exaggeration to say that without him Bangladeshis would still be grounded under the feet of the Pakistani rulers. It is astonishing that students do not seem to be aware of this essential truth that lies behind the very existence of Bangladesh.”
“Without commenting on the internal situation that forced Sheikh Hasina to flee her country, I would simply say two things. First, these events have proved, once again, that economic development in itself can never replace democratic government. Secondly, I express my relief that Sheikh Hasina was able to escape before she surely would have been killed. Her family has suffered immensely over the last half a century and she now deserves to live out her life in peace and harmony among the children and other family members. She will, I am sure, always be welcome in India if she desires to stay here,” he said.