THE 12th state conference of Bihar AIDWA was held on October 19-20 at Madehpura Town Hall.  The conference called for launching struggles against patriarchy, communalism, for joint land titles to women, land for housing to the poor and against casteist and obscurantist ideologies prevalent in the country.

On October 19th a procession was taken out in the town and at the district collectorate a public meeting was held. The procession and public meeting were attended by women from different walks of life. There were anganwari workers, midday meal workers, ASHA workers and so on.

Madehpura democratic and cultural forum sang songs in the beginning and then the public meeting started. The meeting was chaired by Neelam Devi-president of Bihar AIDWA. Malini Bhattacharya, president AIDWA, spoke in the public meeting and congratulated the Bihar team for organising a successful meeting. She narrated the heroic role played by the women right from the pre-independence period to the various struggles of better livelihood to the present times. She castigated at the BJP government and indicted it for spreading communal venom in the country.

Rampari, national vice-president of AIDWA also spoke in the meeting. She narrated the tales of the people living in Madehpura and said that every year this region gets inundated with floods and also with drought. There are no industries in the region and the only source of employment is through agriculture and allied activities. The land is still with the big landlords. Now, the land mafia along with police and district and state administration are targeting the poor and evicting them from land.

Geeta Sagar, state secretary of AIDWA also addressed the meeting. Veena Rani a veteran leader of AIDWA and one amongst the founders was honoured in the public meeting.

DELEGATE SESSION

After the public meeting the delegate session started by hoisting the AIDWA flag. Shyamanand Giri, senior advocate-president of the reception committee welcomed the delegates.

The conference was inaugurated by Malini Bhattacharya. She focused on the importance of a strong ideological organisation to counter the challenges posed by not just the present ruling dispensation, but also by the ruling classes of the country. She spoke in detail on the contemporary political situation and explained how this situation is hitting at the foundations of equality and fraternity.

The conference was also greeted by other fraternal organisation’s leaders. The organisational report was placed by Geeta Sagar in which 31 delegates took part in discussion.

The following resolutions were passed unanimously in the conference; on equal pay for equal work; 33 per cent reservation for women in parliament and state legislatures; against the increase in attacks on civil rights; land to landless for construction of houses; against the new education policy; against political patronage and protection to rapists; against dowry practice etc.

The credential report was placed by Mridula Sinha. According to the report, 189 delegates from 22 districts participated. There were 50 dalit delegates and 71 from backward classes and only 5 from the minorities. A 35 member state committee was elected which then elected Neelam Devi as president and Geeta Sagar as the state secretary. Eighteen delegates were elected for the all India conference of AIDWA in Mumbai from December 27-30, 2019.

The conference was concluded by Rampari who called upon the delegates to build a vibrant organisation that is able to take on the challenge posed by the RSS and its patriarchal mindset, head on.