THE tenth Maharashtra state conference of the All India Democratic Women’s Association was held in the Shaheed Dr Narendra Dabholkar Nagar in Sangli city from June 3-5, 2016. The hall of the conference was named after Shamali Gupta and the dais was named after Shaheed Com Govind Pansare. INAUGURAL SESSION The conference began with the veteran leader and AIDWA state vice-president Prabha Ghangare hoisting the flag. 242 delegates from 14 districts, guests and invitees assembled for the inaugural session after the flag hoisting. The delegates included women from all sections – urban, rural, dalit, adivasi, Muslim, peasants, agricultural labourers, unorganised workers as well as the middle class. The delegates represented a state membership of 1,00,191 – the first time that the Maharashtra AIDWA has crossed the one lakh mark. In her inaugural address, AIDWA president Malini Bhattacharya said, “Maharashtra has given the women’s movement many towering leaders like Godavari Parulekar, Ahilya Rangnekar and Vimal Ranadive who led big struggles for women’s rights. We have inherited their legacy. Women belonging to various castes, communities, religions and classes are members of the AIDWA. AIDWA mobilises women in struggles not only for winning their demands but also to bring about a revolutionary change in our society. “The situation today is very grim. Women are adversely affected by the pro-corporate policies of the BJP government. Women are burdened with a lot of responsibilities. Women’s labour is not given its due. We still have to fight for equal pay for equal work. Restrictions are imposed on women regarding their education, employment, even choosing a life partner. Atrocities on women and minor girls are increasing. Our organisation unites women from all sections to build a strong women’s movement.” Malini di concluded her speech by congratulating the Maharashtra state committee for completing one lakh membership and hoped to see a stronger and militant AIDWA in the days ahead. The inaugural session was addressed by AIDWA patron Brinda Karat. She said, “AIDWA was not a political party but it supported the party who stood for women’s rights and supported our struggles. The Left Democratic Front has won the assembly elections in Kerala and two women leaders Shailaja and Merci Kutty are cabinet ministers. Political power is used by the Left parties to bring about alternative policies. Widow and old age pension is going to be increased from Rs 300 to Rs 1000 in Kerala. “Maharashtra is in the grip of a serious drought. The BJP government made many false promises during the elections which they never intended to fulfill. We will mobilise women against this communal government and protect the secular traditions of our country.” The chairperson of the reception committee Dr Baburao Gurav welcomed the delegates. The conference was greeted by CITU state secretary Dr Subhash Jadhav, AIKS state treasurer Umesh Deshmukh, AIAWU state secretary Baliram Bhumbe and SFI state committee member Sayli Avghade. The inaugural session was presided over by AIDWA state president Mariam Dhawale who placed the condolence resolution at the outset. CONFERENCE REPORT The conference elected the presidium – Mariam Dhawale, Kiran Moghe, Prabha Ghangare, Naseema Shaikh, Lahani Dauda, Pramila Manjalkar and Subhadra Khilare; steering committee – Sonya Gill, Hemlata Patil, Tai Bendar, Sanjabai Khambait, Rehana Shaikh, Saroja Swami and Heerabai Ghonge; minutes committee – Trishila Kamble, Priyanka Lokhande, Prachi Hatiwlekar; and credential committee – Adv Armaity Irani, Ameeta Sen, Anandi Avghade, Ujwala Padalwar and Safiya Khan. The 50-page draft report was placed by state secretary Sonya Gill. The political report, in the international section, took stock of the world economic crisis, increasing aggressiveness of American imperialism, its impact on the world and the resistance to it. The national section outlined the impact of the pro-corporate policies of the Modi government – escalating prices and growing insecurity of food, growing unemployment and loot of natural resources, and the danger of the communal forces who have captured political power leading to attacks on minorities and dalits, attempts to polarise the people along religious and caste lines, and deliberate attempts to encourage superstitions. Dealing with the situation in Maharashtra, the report underlined the serious drought condition in the state for the fourth consecutive year. Fifty percent of the 43,000 villages are experiencing severe water shortage. The drought conditions are most severe in Marathwada and some parts of Vidarbha, north and south Maharashtra. This has led to large-scale migration to the cities. Yet the implementation of the MNREGA is dismal. Work in 65 percent of the villages where demand for work has been made is not started. The PDS is in total shambles. APL card holders do not get grains at all. The BPL card holders too do not get their full quota of food grains. Corruption and black marketeering in the PDS is rampant. Women are being forced by the ration shop keepers to get Aadhaar cards for all the family members registered on the ration cards, including small children. The state government has been criminally apathetic in the implementation of the PcPNDT Act. The 2011 census shows a further decrease in the child sex ratio in the state since 2001. In 2001, it was 913 which decreased to 883 in 2011. 389 cases were registered during 2011 to 2014. In spite of this, attempts are now being made to dilute the PcPNDT Act. Maharashtra has registered a growth in the number of cases of atrocities on women. Incidents of ‘honour killings’ too are on the rise. Conviction in rape cases is only 19 percent. Atrocities against dalits have increased. Special courts to handle them have not been set up. The work report states that AIDWA has been consistently organising women on the PDS issue in 15 districts where it has worked for the past few years. Distribution of food grains, catching black-marketeers, ensuring regular supply of kerosene, demanding BPL ration cards, etc have been the mainstay of the agitations on the PDS. Struggles for starting work and payment of wages under the MNREGA have been organised. Campaigns have been conducted on the issue of decreasing sex ratio and for strict implementation of the PcPNDT Act. The organisation has been active in mobilising women in protests against atrocities on girl children and women. It handles many cases of domestic violence and runs weekly case work centres. Programmes were organised on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Ahilya Rangnekar and death anniversaries of Capt Laxmi Sehgal and Kalindi Deshpande. Fund collection was done to help victims of natural calamities. Joint campaigns and struggles were held with fraternal organisations on the issues of drought and implementation of the Forest Rights Act. AIDWA has also been helping in developing the anganwadi, Asha and domestic workers’ unions. The organisational report states that the membership for the last three years has been as follows: 2013 – 83,168, 2014 – 83,661 and 2015 – 1,00,191. There are 343 primary units. District committees have been formed in 13 districts. The conference resolved to determinedly overcome the weaknesses, increase its membership, consolidate and expand the organisation and improve the functioning of its committees and units at all levels. The delegates then held group discussions. 46 delegates from 14 districts participated in a lively discussion on the report. The state committee statement of income and expenditure from 2013 to 2015 was placed by the treasurer Hemlata Patil. The reply to the discussion was given by Sonya Gill. The conference unanimously passed the report and the statement of accounts. PUBLIC MEETING On the first day of the conference on June 3, the delegates marched from the conference venue to Station Road Chowk in the evening where the public meeting was addressed by Brinda Karat, Sudha Sundararaman, Sonya Gill, Hemlata Patil, Naseema Shaikh, Lahani Dauda and Rehana Shaikh and it was presided over by Mariam Dhawale. Brinda Karat lambasted the Modi government for making blatant false promises to the people. It spends crores of rupees for advertisements to fool the people of our country. But it does not sanction budget allocation for increasing expenditure for cheap ration grains, MNREGA or women and child development. Economic and social inequalities are increasing. The RSS wants to impose the Manusmruti on the country. The RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat says that the duty of a woman is to take care of the house. They are against equality and support the patriarchal value system which treats women as subordinates. The progressive left and democratic forces will always be in the forefront to protect the hard-earned rights of the masses and the secular traditions of our country. COMMISSIONS AND RESOLUTIONS Five different topics that were selected for the commission papers were – on the issues of drought and water – summarised by Hemlata Patil, on problems of dalit women – Subhadra Khilare, on health facililities - Meena Koli, on inter-caste and inter-religious marriages - Anandi Avghade and on issues of young women - Sneha Patole. The resolutions adopted by the conference were – on 125th birth anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar – Heena Vanga/Ameeta Thakur, on the question of liquor – Durga Kakde/Mumtaz Hyder, on price hikes – Poonam Barde/Jaya Ghadge, on the Maulana Azad Minorities Mahamandal – Nanda Jagtap/Arifa Shaikh, to strengthen the struggle against communal forces – Nanda Mhatre/Sugandhi Francis, in support of the September 2 all India strike – Chandrakala Magdoom/Sunanda Balla, on commercialisation of education – Kusum Suradkar/Anandi Avghade, on strict implementation of the PcPNDT Act – Mangala Gosavi/Heerabai Ghonge, for law against honour killings – Savita Somkuvar/Pranali Thakur. The credentials report was placed by Adv Armaity Irani. NEW LEADERSHIP The conference elected a 62 member state committee which in turn unanimously elected 20 office bearers as follows:- president – Mariam Dhawale (centre), secretary – Sonya Gill (centre), treasurer – Subhadra Khilare (Pune), vice presidents – Kiran Moghe (centre), Prabha Ghangare (Wardha), Hemlata Patil (Raigad), Saraswati Bhandirge (Pune), Lahani Dauda (Palghar-Thane), Nalini Kalburgi (Solapur), Lankabai Dhurve (Wardha), Tai Bendar (Palghar-Thane), joint secretaries – Naseema Shaikh (Solapur), Pramila Manjalkar (Mumbai), Rehana Shaikh (Sangli), Prachi Hatiwlekar (Palghar-Thane), Saroja Swami (Mumbai), Heerabai Ghonge (Pune), Heena Vanga (Palghar-Thane), Sunanda Balla (Solapur), Sindhu Shardul (Nashik). 27 delegates to the all India conference were also elected. CONCLUDING SESSION AIDWA vice-president Sudha Sundararaman in her concluding speech congratulated all for holding this successful state conference. She said, “The participation of delegates in the discussion of the report was very good. Maharashtra has made an advance in the membership enrolment. It is noteworthy that many of our AIDWA members in Nashik and Thane-Palghar districts have been elected to the local body institutions. I am sure the AIDWA in Maharashtra will forge ahead in the coming days. “We have to brace ourselves for bigger struggles in the coming days. Attacks on our hard earned rights by the RSS-led BJP governments have increased. We have to nurture our cadres and develop our leadership at all levels in the organisation.” On behalf of the presidium, Mariam Dhawale in her concluding address and vote of thanks congratulated the AIDWA Sangli district committee and the fraternal organisations for organising this state conference well. She also thanked the media – electronic and print – for giving excellent coverage of the conference. We have to increase our efforts in developing our leadership. The state centre must be strengthened. Regular training classes have to be organised. While commending the hard work put in by all districts to increase the membership and cross the one lakh membership target, she pointed out the weakness in mobilisation. The challenge before us is that we should be able to mobilise at least 50 percent of our membership in struggles. The leaders and activists of the CITU, AIKS and AIDWA in Sangli district had made all efforts to make good arrangements for the conference. The conference ended with the singing of ‘We Shall Overcome’, accompanied by resounding slogans.