REPORT

Mahila Congress Report

Bihar Pradesh Mahila Congress president Usha Sinha leading a march for the rights of women on International Women’s Day in Patna

Reports have come from all the States on the Women’s Day related activities, jointly with the pro-Congress women’s organisations. Everywhere proposals demanding 33% reservation for women and other women-related issues were unanimously adopted. The Bihar PMC celebrated the women’s day on ‘Sankalp Diwas’. Smt. Usha Sinha, president Bihar PMC led more than 300 women in a Mashal Julus from Patna Station to Kargil Chowk, demanding action by the Central and State governments on the 1st October proposals of the Mahila Shashaktikaran Adhiveshan called by Smt. Sonia Gandhi. Before this in the afternoon, a meeting was held at the Patna Station in front of Nehruji’s statue, where the Chief Guests were ex-MP Mrs. Manorama Singh, ex-Minister Mrs. Uma Pandey, BPCC president Shri Ramyatna Sinha. Mrs. Renu Sharma informed of Legal Acts regarding women rights. All Pradesh Mahila Congress office-bearers took oath conducted by the Bihar PCC Mahila Congress incharge Shri Kirpanath Pathak. The Assam PMC organized women’s meetings in each district. In Guwahati, AIMC vice-president Smt. Neeva Konwar as Chief Guest talked of how women have to take their due political rights through their own efforts, gaining an equal status in each sphere, thus contributing to the development of the country. In Borpeta, Assam PMC president Dr. Malaya Borman presided over a 2,000 strong women’s meeting with ex-CM Mrs. Anwara Taimur as chief guest, which was also addressed by APCC secretary Shri Abdul Kayum, APMC general secretaries Mrs. Uma Banerjee, Lucy Mai, Basu Matary, Nazra Azad, etc. 15 freedom fighters were honoured by the PMC. In Tripura and Meghalaya also the PMC celebrated the women’s day in all districts with AIMC vice-president incharge of North-East Mrs. Neeva Konwar’s written messages read out in Shillong and Agartala (state capitals) meetings. The Kerala PMC celebrated the Women’s Day in all districts.

In Kakinada (West Godawari) a 5,000-strong Mahila Sammelan was held which was the first-ever of this type. Ex-MP KSR Murty, DMC president Mangathayaru and Mrs. Vijaya Laxmi, etc., were the main speakers. Mrs. Usha Krishna Kumar, general secretary AIMC alongwith Indo-Russian Women’s Association and AIWC, organised a function for Women’s Day paid tributes to Kalpana Chawala. Ms. Aparana Basu talked of Valentina Terishkova, it being her birthday also as well as the 40th anniversary of her advent into space. The UPMC along with the Rashtriya Mahila Sansthan held a 3-day conference on Mahila Shashaktikaran. It concluded on March 8th at Bali Auditorium, where governor Shri Vishnukant Shastri awarded 22-women from various fields by the Shiromani Awards, the awardees including Dr. Lalti Devi, president UPMC. The UPMC also organized at the Congress Bhawan in Lucknow, a convention on the 8th for Shashaktikaran, presided over by ex-MP Begum Hamida Habibullah with ex-Governor Shri Mata Prasad as chief guest. On March 14th, a Shashaktikaran meeting was held at Hassangarh organized by DMC president Smt. Chanda Tiwari with PMC president, Dr. Lalti Devi as chief guest. On March 6th there was a seminar with Mr. Youhanne Fregarshould, the representative of UNICEF as a key-note speaker, where Dr. Lalti Devi, Vijaya Pant and Chandra Govind talked of women’s position in national policies.

On March 2nd a silent procession was taken out in Hyderabad and in Dehradun anti-war procession was taken out having more than 50% women. A large number of women took part in the Congress demonstrations in front of the American Embassy on March 21st.

Against the price hike of petrol and fuel gas, Congresswomen participated in the dharna on March 11 at Dehradun. The APMC staged an anti-price rise and water shortage dharna in front of Ranga Reddy District Collectorate at Hyderabad on February 20th led by APMC president Dr. Geetha Reddy, with CWC member Mrs. Sarojini Pulla Reddy as the key speaker. Smt. Manju Singh of Bihar PMC, vice-president of the PCC panchayati raj committee, through her NGO Gramin Samagra Seva Sansthan got sanctioned 200 Sulabh Shauchalayas in Samuhar panchayat in Madhubani block, 200 tubewells in Rakha block and distributed 1,000 mango and lichi trees to poor farmers in Pandol block, all from Madhubani district. The Bikaner Mahila Congress honoured veteran artists participating in the national ‘Kalakumbha’, in a function organized by its vice-president Mrs. Sunita Gaur in the Junagarh Fort.

-Dr. Jaya Shukla

Unsung Heroines-IV Dr. Radhabai from Madhya Pradesh (now Chhattisgarh) was not a medical doctor. Yet she was called ‘Dr.’ by the grateful people whom she helped selflessly and tirelessly in ailments, specially as a midwife. Born in Nagpur in 1875, she became a child widow at 9. Her father and brother also expired and she lived with a neighbour’s family. Dr. Radhabai learned Hindi from one Shri Jawaharlal and started educating herself besides doing social work to bring awareness amongst the women folk. She started practicing midwifery in Nagpur. Upon the mother of her adopted family expiring leaving behind her young children, she took care of them as her own siblings, and took up service in Nagpur. After working in Kamthi, Ramtek, Akola and Bilaspur Railways, she joined as midwife in Nagpur Municipality in 1918. It was her love for the womenfolk that earned her the title of ‘Dr.’ here. Mahatma Gandhi came to Raipur for the first time in 1920, which was the beginning of the Gandhi-era. He had led the Champaran (Bihar) Farmer’s Movement against the British landlord. His Raipur visit was also in regard to the farmer’s Satyagrah at Kondel in Dhamtari. Dr. Radhabai was much influenced by Gandhiji and got involved in the freedom struggle. She started taking leading role in all forms of Gandhian movement, be it Khadi, untouchability, swadeshi, women’s awakening, anti-alcoholism, or any other satyagrah. She became Pradhan Sewika of the Sewadal, and created a very strong women’s force. They got lathicharged during picketing, were even pulled by their hair, yet none of them laxed the Satyagrah. All were arrested. Smt. Ketkibai, not arrested due to old age, did Satyagrah in front of the Jail not even taking water till she was arrested. In 1930 a group of Satyagrahis were secretly being brought from Amrawati Jail to Raipur Jail. Dr. Radhabai and her group reached the station with food and the Tricolor. The Raipur women were in forefront of both the Gandhi ‘yatras’ in the region. The Sapare school meeting, Motibagh Khadi exhibition, Kamasepare activities, collection of women’s ornaments for the movement in Jhabakbari, the daily Prabhatpheris, all of these showed excellent organizing capacities of Dr. Radhabai. The Jaitusav Math of Mahant Lakshmi Narain Das and Dev temple of Raipur became satyagrah centres. Due to Dr. Radhabai’s efforts, several very active centres were started in the region, and several women leaders emerged. Dr. Radhabai took a leading part in each and every Satyagrah from 1930 to 1942, and was elected Dictator during the Personal satyagrah. Daily she went personally to clean sweepers’ colonies, washing their children and teaching them. She was completely secular in tying Rakhi to Muslims on the Rakhi day, cooking herself and feeding them. She never indulged in or encouraged groupism, never wanting honours. She could have achieved senior positions after independence, but never wanted them, enjoying working selflessly throughout her life. At the age of 85, on 2nd January 1950, she left for her heavenly abode. She donated even her house to an orphanage, which was bought back in her memory by her adopted brother. - Dr. Jaya Shukla