THE 13th Andhra Pradesh (AP) AIDWA conference was held successfully in Vijayawada on September 26-28, 2014. Prior to the delegate session, on September 26 a massive public meeting was held in Vijayawada town. The public meeting was presided over by AIDWA AP state president Karusala Subbaravamma. Brinda Karat national leader of AIDWA addressing the public meeting questioned whether we lived in a civilised country in view of deteriorating levels of women’s security where very young girls to very old women were being sexually attacked. She called upon everybody to work for stopping such heinous crimes. She said that today economic self reliance of women was mortgaged by turning woman’s body into a commodity and trading it. She said that the future of the state depended on the future of women. Talking about the national politics, Brinda Karat said when the prime minister talks about development, the RSS and its wings propagate communalism at lower levels. This was aimed at keeping the people divided. The prime minister was going to foreign countries and asking the MNCs to come to India. She asked how things made in our country can be called ‘Made in India’ if manufactured by the MNCs. The present government was destroying the worker’s rights, she lamented. She said attempts are being made to change land laws to take away land from the peasants. Rights of Tribals and Dalits also were being taken away. Rising prices were a burden on the people but nobody bothered about that. Only rice is being supplied from ration shops to poor in AP but how one could manage only with rice, she questioned. The loan waiver promise made to farmers during elections is now being dumped. Banks are not giving fresh loans. She demanded that promises made to women must be implemented. She expressed satisfaction seeing the tribal girl Poorna who conquered the highest peak in the world, the Everest, adorning the dais. AIDWA national president Malini Bhattacharjee addressing the public meeting, called upon the women to get organised to safeguard their rights. She called upon the conference to take decisions to combat the problems facing women and she hoped there will be a message on this count to women of other states. National vice president Sudha Sundararaman said that women will have to face many hurdles to achieve empowerment just as Poorna, the tribal girl of 14 years faced many hurdles on her way to conquer Everest. The social security of women was linked to many other things, she said. AIDWA will be in the front of organising women and protecting their rights and interests, she asserted. State AIDWA vice president S Punyavathi said that the TDP and BJP had proclaimed that good days were coming but it was not be. During the elections, they promised the DWACRA women that their loans would be waved, but now they have gone back on it. New loans are also not being given and notices are being sent for old loans. K Swaroopa Rani, AIDWA state secretary deplored the increasing violence on women. The state leadership of AIDWA felicitated in a grand manner Poorna for her determination and efforts in conquering Everest. A very colourful rally participated by thousands of women coming from districts in the state was held. Construction workers, medical representatives, daily workers, shop employees and leaders belonging to many organisations greeted the rally on the way. Racheti Kantamma, veteran leader of the AIDWA, enthusiastically participated in the rally, thus motivating others. DELEGATE SESSION The delegate session started on September 27. The venue of the conference was named after Shyamali Gupta, West Bengal AIDWA leader who died recently. The leaders garlanded the portraits of Manikonda Suryavati, Captain Lakshmi Sehgal, Shyamali Gupta, Moturu Udayam and Dr Tanya, the great leaders who had infused life into women’s movement. K Subbaravamma, P Bharathi, V Savithri, B Annapoornamma and Prabhavathi acted as the presidium. The secretary’s report was presented by Katragadda Swaroopa Rani and delegates discussed the report district-wise. On September 28, in the concluding session of the conference Sudha Sundararaman said that due to public distribution system not working properly, the women belonging to unorganised sector, DWACRA were facing many difficulties. Attacks on women are increasing. She said women should be educated about Nirbhaya Act along with other laws. The conference elected a new committee with 49 members and 12 office bearers unanimously. The new president and secretary are B Prabhavathi and D Ramadevi.