'Before you gun me down, I'll slap you twice

Eminent jurist and Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday expressed his support for the quota reform movement, and criticised those who insult activists of the movement.

“Who are the ones in the quota [reform] movement today? They are not sons of Razakars; they are the sons of the soil. Those, insulting the demonstrators, come stand before me. Before you gun me down, I'll slap you twice,” he said.

Dr Kamal made the remarks at a discussion titled “National unity to establish voting rights, democracy and rule of law through eradicating corruption and plundering of banks and stealing of coal” at Jatiya Press Club in the capital.

The discussion was organised by Jatiya Oikya Prokria, a political platform, of which Dr Kamal is the convener.

Referring to the quota reform activists, the eminent jurist said, “These youths are demonstrating for a just cause. They have the right to demand reformation of the quota [system]. This is their basic right that was earned through the martyrdom of thousands of people during the Liberation War in 1971.”

“No individual owns the country. The people are the owners of the country and they should be respected. The president, the prime minister -- everyone should show respect to the people.”

“Weren't the students at the forefront of the Liberation War? Weren't they youths? … Today's students are their successors. Are they making the demand for [their] own personal gains? Are they demanding a share of loots? Their demand is reformation of the quota [system],” Dr Kamal said.