REPORT

Mahila Congress Report

The Mahila Congress has been demonstrating all over the country for dismissal of Narendra Modi and his Gujarat government, who are playing in the hands of the fascist designs of the Sangh Parivar creating an extremely dangerous and painful situation in Gujarat, hitting at the very thread of our national fabric of unity in diversity. As per the AIMC president Smt. Chandresh Kumari’s directives, state units have extensively organised demonstrations and hunger strikes upto Block levels.

The ongoing drive to have more and more women join Congress at the grassroot levels is showing good result, especially in the eight N.E. States, where committees up to the primary levels have been constituted, so that challenges could be faced at any time without a hitch. On April 12, 2002 evening, the eight PMC presidents along with their respective office-bearers, headed by Mrs. Neeva Konwar Vice-President AIMC incharge of N.E. States, had a meeting with the Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi. AIMC General Secretary Incharge of Assam, Ms. Shikha Kapoor also attended this meeting, and till 20 April she toured throughout Assam addressing mahila meetings at various places.

The Assam PMC has taken up demand for some development schemes, like reservation for women in government services, arrangement of training programmes for women entrepreneurship, removal of minor girl maid-servants, etc. The Arunachal PMC is campaigning for a Govt. Girls Higher Sec. school and a Govt. Girls college at Itanagar, sanction of government loan/ subsidy to women farmers, encouragement to women entrepreneurs, etc. The Mizoram PMC has started functional units in almost all villages. PMC general conference and Block level conferences at Thungvel and Champhai have been completed.

The Andhra Pradesh PMC has started its Grievance Cell at Hyderabad from 23 March, which will provide free legal aid, as well as a Doctors’ Cell giving free service to the needy. These cells will shortly open branches in district headquarters. On 3 April, a day long dharna was observed in Hyderabad to protest against hike in power tarrif. Mahila activists attended political training camp in Kanchikacherla, also addressed by Ms. Ambika Soni. The Karnataka PMC executive meeting was held in Bangalore inaugurated by Mrs. Margaret Alva on 10 March. Mrs. Suma Vasanth, Minister, and Mrs. Bimba Raiker, MP, also addressed the gathering which also included the district Mahila Congress presidents, lady legislators, Chairpersons of Boards and corporations and lady AICC members. Unanimous resolutions were adopted demanding selection of women for any party posts to come only through Mahila Congress, and nominations for all Party posts to be given only to party workers having served for more than 5 years. 75 old women were given shawls, sweets and fruits. Five former KPMC presidents, Mrs. Margaret Alva, MP, Mrs. Bimba Raiker, MP, Mrs. Chandra Prabha Urs, Mrs. Rani Satish, Mrs. Nagamma Keshavamurthy were honoured. The Tamilnadu PMC executive meeting was held in Ooty from March 11 to March 13. A public meeting was organized in Ooty on the 14 March by the PMC president, to oppose the budget. The PMC has campaigned for green tea-leaf price, more allocation of funds to the Panchayat system, etc.

On May 6, the AIMC president, Mrs. Chandresh Kumari, addressed a mahila meeting in Jhunjhanu, where she emphasized upon the dangers due to communal activities of the RSS-BJP family leading to Gujarat like situations, and the role women could play to nullify it.

The Rajasthan PMC meeting was held in Jaipur on 22 April, presided over by Mrs. Krishna Gahlawat, General Secretary AIMC, incharge of Rajasthan. It was decided to hold six zonal Mahila Congress meetings in the State. The women were elated at their State president Mrs. Prabha Thakur becoming a Rajya Sabha member. The AIMC General Secretary, incharge of Chattisgarh, Mrs. Abha Sinha addressed several Mahila Congress meetings in Chattisgarh from 7 to 11 March. The AIMC secretary, incharge of Jharkhand, Mrs. Meera Singh, visited the State from 25 April to 1 May, taking meeting and pad-yatras in all 4 mandals.

In view of the situation in Gujarat, and the "Women’s Peace March" led by the Congress president, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, AIMC office-bearers have gone to Gujarat, dividing the 25 districts into five zones for mobilizing mahilas through the State, with one AIMC and two PMC office-bearers incharge of each zone. Four AIMC office-bearers also went to the neighbouring states to mobilize and accompany women from there for participation in the peace march, bringing about 3000 women with them.

- Dr. Jaya Shukla