None of us involved in temple vandalism: Nur
We will hand over our leaders and activists to police if their involvement is proved by CCTV footage
Former VP of Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU) Nurul Huq Nur said none of their leaders and activists were involved in the vandalism of Hindu temples in different parts of the country including Chattogram.
He said, "Some of our leaders and activists have been arrested for alleged involvement in vandalism of temples in Chattogram. We have looked and found no involvement of those arrested in the temple vandalism. If any of our leaders and activists were really involved, prove it by releasing the CCTV footage of the attack on the temples."
He also said the government was arresting leaders and activists to obstruct the announcement of Nurul Haque Nur's new political party (Bangladesh Gono Odhikar Parishad), scheduled on 26 October.
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Nur made the remarks at a press conference at Chhatra Odhikar Parishad's central office in Purana Paltan of the capital on Sunday afternoon.
In a written statement, Nur said the government and the administration cannot avoid liability for desecration of the Quran at a puja mandap in Cumilla on 13 October, and for failing to control the violence that spread to other parts of the country.
The former DUCSU VP said, "Without identifying the real culprits, three BNP activists, who had been in jail for six months, were charged with attacking the JM Sen Hall Puja Mandap in Chattogram. Eight leaders and activists of the Chhatra and Juba Odhikar Parishad have been picked up from their homes. We will not hesitate to hand over our leaders and activists to the police if they can prove that they attacked the temple by releasing the CCTV footage. We will demand their trial. But instead of doing so, the police are persecuting leaders and activists inhumanly. We strongly condemn and protest such atrocity."
At the press conference, Nurul Haque Nur announced a nine-member party inquiry committee to investigate whether leaders and activists were involved in the vandalism of the temple. The committee has been directed to submit a report within 10 working days after proper investigation.
The members of the investigation committee are: Saddam Hussain, Advocate Shirin Sultana, Engineer Khowai Ching Mongcha, Md Nizam Uddin, Azharul Islam (Pathan Azhar), Fatema Tasneem, Ariful Islam Taif, Prapta Barua and Jhunu Ronjon Dash.
