REPORT

Mahila Congress Report

The martyrdom day of our beloved leader Shri Rajiv Gandhi and the death anniversary of the builder of modern India Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, both fall in the month of May, respectively on the 21 and the 27. Mahila Congress paid homage to departed leaders through suitable activities. About 100 women too came from Chhattisgarh to Delhi to pay homage to Rajivji. The All India Mahila Congress held a Sarva-dharma prayer-meet at 26, Akbar Road after paying floral tributes to Shri Rajiv Gandhi. The prayers were attended by Congress dignitaries like CWC member and AICC Gen. Sec. Mukul Wasnik, the Delhi C.M. Mrs, Shiela Dikshit, AICC Sec. Ms. Sushila Tiriya, Mrs. Tajdar Babar, prominent social workers including Mrs. Nafisa Ali; and a large number of Congress women. An exhibition of photographs of Rajiv Gandhi was also organised which was inaugurated by Mrs. Dikshit.

The Mahila Congress had busy schedule in May, 2002 with meetings in all states, attended by the AIMC office-bearer incharge of that State, at district, township and village levels have been held. The AIMC held the third of the AICC Sadbhavana Lecture Series on May 18, at 24 Akbar Road.

More than 200 women from active organizations, participated. The function, presided over by Mukul Wasnik, who is also incharge of Mahila Congress also had Oscar Fernandes, Gen. Sec. AICC and Sushila Tiria AICC Sec. as honoured guests. The keynote speakers were Ms. Sayeeda hameed, ex-member NCW, and Madhu Kishwar, Editor Manushi. Other guests included Rani Satish, Minister Karnataka, Jayshree Pawar, Mayor Delhi, and Nafisa Ali, social activist. Mrs. Usha Meena, Vice-president AIMC welcomed the guests. Dr. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, chief organizer of the function, introduced the keynote speakers.

A meeting of the National Executive of the Mahila Congress, comprising AIMC national office-bearers and the state president, was called on the 25 May, 2002. Mukul Wasnik presided over the function, and Ms. Sushila Tiriya attended the meeting. The AIMC president Mrs. Chandresh Kumari welcomed Mukul Wasnik, Ms. Sushila Tiriya, and others. Mrs. Chandresh Kumari expressed her unhappiness that Mahila Congress workers have an unfair deal meted out by the parent body office-bearers at most states and district levels. Even in local bodies elections, where 33% reservation has been achieved due to our beloved leader Shri Rajiv Gandhiji's vision, the Mahila Congress is never consulted in ticket distribution, real grassroot workers often are sidelined as happened in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, etc. It was decided that the state committees would hold their meetings by 10 June, 2002 and formulate future programmes, and that a major programme would be planned for 20 August, the birth anniversary of Shri Rajivji. It was also planned to hold a Mahila programme on Rajivji's birthday, where deserving Panchayat women will be honoured. The following resolutions were adopted unanimously : 1) the parent bodies of Congress Party be directed to respect Mahila Congress and stop them from calling Mahila Congress as Mahila Mandal, 2) the Mahila Congress state presidents should be made member of the election committees and the national president to be nominated to the Central Election Committee, 3) a large number of women enroll as Congress members, a portion of collections should come to Mahila Congress as well. More so because the Mahila Congress does not have a separate membership drive, 4) election tickets be given to women applicants coming through the Mahila Congress, 5) the Mahila Congress commits to act not only as a political body but as a social organization as well.

- Dr. Jaya Shukl