WRT: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/mukto- mona/message/ 48523
1.Moulana Bhasani had a long colorful political life. He himself was not an atheist, but he believed in secular politics. As a matter of fact as a "peer" (religious guru) he had many "murids" or disciples. He had immense contribution to 1969 mass upsurge and 1971 independence struggle. Unfortunately for reasons not very clear to the public he was made passive during his stay in India. He was a nationalist leader and never hesitated to speak against India or Pakistan. He had left leanings. Many communists (pro-Chinese) during their bad times took shelter under his umbrella. I think (some one may kindly check on this) it was he who turned Muslim Awami League into Awami League and finally formed NAP with leftist manifesto. He bade farewell to Pakistani rulers at least two times. In 1970 lacs of people in coastal areas were killed by a devastating cyclone. No leader (except Wali Khan of NAP-Moscow and son of Seemanta Gandhi)) from West Pakistan visited the cyclone affected area. He was so upset that in a meeting he said, "West Pakistan, no more with you."
2. During those times in the political arena there were pro-Moscow and pro-Chinese lines among the leftists. He was a follower of pro-Chinese thoughts. Because of this CPB was not definitely his favorite. I will not be surprised if he did really try to point out that Abdus Salam was none but a Hindu Barin Dutta. I remember once he called for peace procession in protest against communal riots that were going on in India at that time. Many progressive and secular leaders were afraid that the peace procession might spark communal riots in East Pakistan and requested him to withdraw his peace procession program. He complied with the request.
3. It may be remebered that some pro-Chinese communist parties (both in East Pakistan and India) did not join hands with Awami League in the struggle for independence. They saw this as an attempt by India to occupy East Pakistan with the backing of revisionist and social-imperialist Soviet Union. Some of them engaged in three-way fight. Both Indian and Pakistani armies were their enemies. Abdul Haque, leader of one communist party, continued with his party's name East Pakistan Communist Party even after 1971. I heard that he made a list of allies with whom he would work to liberate East Pakistan from the hands of India. Awami League government was simply a puppet of India. The allies included Muslim League, Jammat-e-Islam, and so on.
4. It is really hard to make any final judgment about this great mass leader.
-SC
