To say that General Ershad fiddled while Dhaka burned would perhaps be unkind but it would be no exaggeration to say that the sound of bombs and shouts of 'We do not accept this farcical election' could not be heard even faintly in the rarefied atmosphere of the Dhaka Cantonment in which the President resides.The day after the elections, the President appeared completely oblivious to what had happened beyond the whitewashed walls of the cantonment. He greeted reporters with the news that he had just completed a poem in praise of the elections and laughed off charges of rigging. Excerpts:Q. What would you like to say about the results?A.I am very satisfied, most of the parties h ave got seats and this is the first time it has happened in history. The Awami League has done very well, they never got more than 40 seats, Muslim League got seats so all the parties have their representation now in Parliament.Q. The delegation of British MP's said that they were so shocked by what they saw that they do not consider what happened yesterday an election?A.We are not bothered what they say. This is an independent country and they have no business to pass any remarks about an independent nation's elections. They are doubting the integrity of the Election Commission, which is an independent body, the whole thing is disgusting.Q. Would you say there was no rigging then?A.No, that's besides the point. You asked me something I have replied.Q. Yesterday we got the impression there was rigging by the Jatiya Party?A.Then they would have got more than 200 seats and how come the Awami League has got so many seats when they never got more than 40 seats ever, except in 1973. Even the people are surprised that they have got so many seats this time. And the Jatiya Party have not got an absolute majority and probably they will not get it.Q. If they don't get it then what are you going to do?A.The Jatiya Party will probably get 150 seats. There are independent candidates and women. We will make up.Q. What will you do if Hasina rejects the poll verdict?A.On what grounds?Q. On the grounds that it was heavily rigged.A.It is the Jatiya Party who should be saying that.Q. Will you have fresh elections?A.That will have to be decided. I don't think any MP's who have been elected would want that. Elections are costly.Q. Don't you need a two-thirds majority to legalise all the martial law ordinances?A.You need a simple majority to ratify them but there is a very simple answer. Elections were held under martial law so if they don't regularise them then they don't remain MP's. So they have to vote for regularisation of whatever I did in the last four years and that includes elections, otherwise the whole election stands null and void.Q. You said before the elections that you would remain neutral and yet your picture is on the Jatiya Party posters.A.I gave it to the Awami League to put on theirs but they didn't use it.Q. No, but you keep talking about the Jatiya Party as our party.A.The Jatiya Party supports my policies, naturally I support them.Q.Hasina has been saying that you said you would remain neutral and yet you have been campaigning everywhere for the Jatiya Party.A.She is not telling the truth. I never said anywhere that I would remain neutral or that I wouldn't take part in the elections. My only comment was that my administration would remain neutral and they remained neutral. I never said that I would remain neutral. I have my policies, my programmes, my ideology which I have to sell to the people, as the head of government, the highest political office. I have to ad vise my people what to do.Q. So you blatantly misused your offices for the benefit of this party?A.I am not a caretaker President. I am an elected President of the Government. I am not worried. There is no rigging.Q. But do you believe there was any rigging?A.That you will have to ask the election commissioner. He conducts the elections. I don't.Q. When will you lift martial law?A.That will be decided after the presidential elections.Q. What would you say will be the major changes for Bangladesh that will result from this election?A.We will have an elected government. That's all. The policies of the Government would continue.Q. That would mean no real change?A.What is the aim of the Government? To give a better life to the people. So we have an elected government so the people's representatives will decide how to implement all these policies. In our Constitution the whole power is in the hands of the President. Parliament will have to decide if they want a major change in the 1973 Constitution. You know seats are not chocolates that! keep in my pocket to distribute to individuals, they have to be earned through elections.Q. Are you aware that people don't like military rule?A.I also don't like it. That is why I have had elections otherwise I could have continued like Zia-ul-Haq for 10 years, these people don't have the strength to remove me.Q. Would you say it was a very successful election?A.The result shows it to be so. All the parties fighting neck and neck and everyone getting some seats. It shows that the people have really got the chance to vote for the person they wanted to.Published By: AtMigration Published On: May 31, 1986 00:00 IST--- ENDS ---
