HEY, sister, where are you going so early?

Where else, of course to mobilise for the International Women’s Day! This year it is going to be special. It seems some of them were saying that without the government, we will not be able to organise the Women’s Day. It seems our days are over and we should stop mobilising. All this has to be proven wrong. We should show that we are not like others, who keep on crying over our loss and lock ourselves in the house. After all, what is it today? It is the WOMEN’S DAY. It teaches us to keep on fighting and never give up.

Have you heard it? It seems they have attacked our Purabda. He was bleeding from his head. Do you know what Sumitra di then said. She told them it seems, ‘you may beat my husband, me and my child. But you cannot stop us from holding our flag’. Seeing her raging eyes itself made them go away it seems. It is for her that we need to celebrate this March 8th.

Yes, the smoke we saw yesterday was from the burning of Susheela di’s house. They had gone there, while she was away to get her child from the school. Finding the house locked and not finding anyone there, they burnt her house. Poor Susheela di. Only the other day, she purchased new clothes for her child and husband from the money she had saved. It was their Holi gift. They too wanted to celebrate Holi with red gulal, just like us. But that was not to be. Now her house is burnt. Instead of her clothes, her eyes were red. You know what she said? She applied the ash to her forehead and said, her next Holi will be only when they are driven out. And she is the one who said this March 8, we should all ensure that none of us back down.

You know about young Kalyani? Poor girl, she is only in her teens, barely seen the life. We at least know what these people did earlier and what they will do now. She was little shaken, when these people went to her house and asked for her uncle, mother and father. You know them. All of them are such a good people, always helping others and happy. That girl, though shaken did not lose courage. She is brave. Only thing is, instead of dreaming about her college, job and husband, she is dreaming about rods, sticks, swords and burning homes. Poor child, never thought that such a day will come.

Have you not seen these people going from house to house, waving their flags and sticks? Yes, very true, till the other day, all of them were with the Congress party. Just like their slogan, all of them are ‘paltais’. No morals at all. This day Congress, next day Trinamul and now BJP. Yes, they are the ones, who attacked us when the government gave us land. Yes, then they said, who is the government to take away our land and give it to you. After all, all those years, they had made us work on that land, without paying us properly. Because of the Party and the government, we got the land and were able to plough it and eat happily. Did you hear what they were shouting now. Yes, they were shouting, the government is ours, the land will be ours. They change parties easily because Congress or BJP, they know that if they win, they can take away our land. No difference between the two on this. Both the parties are for the rich and landlords, not for us.

If only people had understood what we were telling them. They thought BJP is different, not like Congress. But see, all the Congress has become the BJP. Even their leaders from Delhi did not show any interest for campaigning in the state. These young people too, what all they see in their mobiles! We were telling them that this man Modi will not do anything. But these ‘bacchas’ did not listen to us and voted for them and now see what is happening.

Only we women are somewhat better. It seems, women voted more for our Party than the men. These men, what happens to them, only god knows. They voted for the BJP and now are facing music. The younger ones too got fooled. But at least, they did not have experience, so we can spare them. But what happened to these elders?

Even before taking oath, if they are doing all these things, what will happen once they take all the power?

What more will happen? Yes, they will try to create problems between us. They will come and say that Abdul bhai is not our country man and is from Bangladesh. They will show that he is responsible for our sons not getting jobs. Poor Abdul bhai, don’t we know how good he is, how poor he is. Of course he is living here from many, many years. Now already they started creating noises. They will divide us between Hindus and Muslims. They will divide us as Bengalis and tribals. Till now, we were living together happily and peacefully. I think they will bring back those old days.

Of course they will. They did all they could then and failed. At that time they were in Congress and in opposition. Now they are in BJP and in power. Parties might have changed but the people are the same. They will try to create problems in our society and make us fight each other, while they will live happily, eating away all our money.

Yes, there are some people who are saying that we should come together with the Congress and defeat BJP. But where is Congress? Is it not the BJP today? Same people, same faces, only party’s name changed. They were the ones’ who attacked as the Congress party on that day. They are the ones’ who are attacking us as BJP today. Both of them want to take away our land, our money and do nothing for us. How can we join hands with them to defeat the BJP. That cannot be. Will the Congress come and condemn the attack on our people and offices. Till now, they did not. Will the Congress condemn the attacks on Muslims in Gujarat and starting now here. Experience is that they will not. Will the Congress come and condemn the attacks on us when we are protesting. Till now they had not done it. So, how can we come along with the Congress? Let them first come in struggles and show their sincerity. They can be part of struggles against the attacks, and all other things.

See, today is March 8. We have to bring more women out on the streets than ever. These BJP people are afraid of women. They cannot tolerate a women laughing at them. That is why they called a women MP in parliament as ‘Surpanaka’ as she was laughing. Modi can make fun of a woman. But when Trump mimics him and abuses him, he is silent. What happened to his 56’’ chest? All gas, no substance.

The BJP is thinking that by winning power and attacking us they can make us cry. Let us not allow them that. Let us show them that we are not the kinds who will cry and sit at home. We should show them that we are ones who laugh at them, resist them and fight them. We should show them the power of women like Sumitra di and Susheela di or the young Kalyani. Let them know that we not only know how to hold a flag, but also know how to defend it.

This flag, the Red Flag, always stood by us, women. Now we will stand by it and protect it, come whom may.