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Report
Mahila
Congress
The
UP Mahila Congress state level workers' convention was held
at Lucknow, on December 27th attended by more
than 2,500 women despite bad weather and rains, due to which
its venue had to be shifted from the Congress Bhawan lawns
to Sahakarita Bhawan. Delhi CM Smt. Sheila Dikshit was the
chief guest. Other honoured guests included Shri Naval Kishore
Sharma (general secretary AICC, incharge UP), Shri Mukul
Wasnik (general secretary AICC, incharge of frontal organisations),
AIMC president, Dr. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, UPCC president,
Shri Jagdambika Pal and Shri Pramod Tiwari. Smt. Sheila
Dikshit exhorted Congress activists to remain united to
bring the party to power in UP, repeating the experiment
of Delhi, where the BJP had earlier established a firm root.
She said that for the return of Congress to the Centre,
Mahila Congress should convince women folk of the necessity
for removing this NDA regime. She said that Congress still
had the chance to defeat the BJP, with united hard work.
The
AIMC president emphasized the need of a state government's
women's policy, and an active State Commission for Women.
She said that SP should make clear its stand on the Women's
Bill. She assured that not only in UP, but in the whole
country Mahila Congress can and will create a big change.
Shri
Naval Kishore Sharma called the next five-months as "challenging"
looking at 80 Lok Sabha seats from UP. He felt that Congress
would gain strength only with its women's wing becoming
highly active. Shri Mukul Wasnik talked of the Congress
contributions to the development of UP and its contribution
to the National Freedom struggle. He said that the Party
and its frontal organizations are mutually complementary.
Shri Jagdambika Pal said that the unprecedented numbers
of women from all corners of the State attending the convention
proved that women will leave no stone unturned for making
Soniaji the Prime Minister. Shri Pramod Tiwari blamed the
NDA for the women's bill not being passed. The convention
was presided over by Smt. Maharani Dhore and conducted by
Smt. Lalti Devi (president UPMC). It unanimously adopted
the social and political resolutions. With great enthusiasm
pledge was taken : 1) to strive for saving the social, economic
and political rights of women; 2) to prepare such action-plans
and act under the leadership of Smt. Sonia Gandhi for women's
empowerment as per the pro-public policies and high heritage
of Congress, which will free UP citizens from poverty, starvation,
illiteracy and disease; 3) to keep striving for the 33%
reservation with determination.
AIMC
office-bearers Smt. Manju Hembrum, Smt. Meera Singh, Dr.
Jaya Shukla, Smt. Nusrut Rizvi, and Dr. Shobhana Shah spent
10 days in U.P addressing DMC workers in different districts.
They also addressed district president's meeting in Lucknow
on the 16th, in preparation for this convention.
Reports
have come in from various centers, of celebrations of Smt.
Sonia Gandhi's birthday via social-welfare activities. Karnataka
PMC distributed 50,000 sarees to underprivileged women.
A "Hawan" was organized at Gurgaon (Haryana) by
Smt. Asha Sharma (VP, PMC), where slates, book and fruits
were distributed to children. She also helped organize a
training workshop on commercial horticulture from 4th
_ 6th December, attended by 50 village-women
from Sadharana.
The
Andhra PMC organized several women's meetings in various
districts. The AIMC president Dr. Rita Bahuguna Joshi toured
the state from 19th _ 21st December
with the PMC president, Smt. Geetha Reddy, addressing DMC
conventions in districts Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Nalgonda
also addressing several corner meetings in Medak. The Karnataka
PMC held district Mahila worker's meetings in December,
in Bangalore on 5th, in Mandya on 6th,
in Madek on 7th and Mysore on 8th.
In Haryana, the Narnaul DMC held a "Mahila Sashaktikaran
and Adhikar Chaukasi" in mid-December touring several
villages (Rambans, Basirpur, Hasanpur, etc.). The Arunachal
PMC state level convention was held at Itanagar presided
over by PMC president Smt. Yari Dolum, with Sri Mukut Mithi
(ex-CM) as the chief guest.
Several
reports came in late, of activities from 14th
_ 19th November. The Daman & Diu TMC organized,
women's sports, and held awareness meetings for women. They
also distributed Bournvita to 500 children from Balvadi
Schools and Ashram Shala and organized a picnic for 300
children with the help of the local Lioness Club. The Goa
PMC president, Smt. Monica Dias started tailoring classes
for women at Sanguelim, with help of an NGO, and Children's
day functions at the Lar-Da-Santa orphanage. In Haryana,
the PMC held women's awareness meetings at Ladwa, Chhachharoli,
etc. in Kurukshetra. Also, a children's health camp with
free checkups to more than 150-children, as well as painting
and fancy dress competition were held. A panchayati raj
workshop was held at Sadhrana for women panchas &
sarpanchs. Six village women from Sadhrana were trained
in food preservation at Delhi, who have started a commercial
set-up called "Apni Rasoi". The AIMC has prepared
a booklet called "Congress Ka Haath, Mahila Ke Saath
for distribution (5000 copies already distributed in UP).
Smt. Asha Dikshit (Madhya Pradesh PMC general secretary)
prepared a cassette on electioneering songs' to be distributed
to the candidates.
-
Dr. Jaya Shukla
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