Warns against paving the way for autocracy, says it would betray July martyrs and Liberation War fightersPrime Minister Tarique Rahman today said both the government and the opposition had been entrusted with responsibilities by the people, but accused the opposition of opposing the government for the sake of opposition.He made the remarks after inaugurating the newly built July Memorial at the historic Osmani Udyan in Dhaka on Monday.“We have noticed, and the people of the country have also noticed, that the opposition is opposing for the sake of opposition,” the prime minister said.He warned that if the opposition paved the way for the return of autocracy through its opposition to the government, it would have serious consequences for the country.“Such a move would amount to betraying the martyrs of July, as well as the freedom fighters of 1971,” he said.Opposition leaders' absence questionedTarique Rahman also questioned the absence of opposition leaders from the inauguration ceremony, saying they had been invited alongside senior government officials.He said that even if opposition leaders did not want to share the stage with government representatives, they could have attended the event and sat among the July martyrs and those injured during the uprising.You did not come to today's invitation. Fine, you did not have to sit on the government's stage. But if you truly uphold the spirit of July, you could have come and sat among the people who were martyred and injured during the July uprising. We do not see you here today, he said.The prime minister said the opposition could maintain its distance from the government if it wished, but should not distance itself from the people whose sacrifices had helped its leaders and lawmakers gain public recognition.He noted that many people had sacrificed their lives, sustained injuries or lost their eyesight during the uprising, and said opposition leaders should have stood alongside them at the event.If you had come and sat among these people today, we could have understood that you, too, uphold the spirit of July, just as the BNP does, he said.Calls for an end to blame politicsThe prime minister said his government was working to improve people's lives and change their fortunes.He said the opposition had taken its seats in parliament with the people's votes, while the government had received public support to run the country.Being in the opposition does not mean that only the opposition represents the people, while the ruling party does not. Nor should the ruling party automatically be seen as one that does not protect people's interests, he said.Tarique Rahman called for an end to the politics of blame, stressing that both the government and the opposition had responsibilities towards the people.