TO prepare for the 12th AIDWA national conference in Mumbai from December 27-30, 2019, AIDWA district conventions were successfully held in 15 districts of Maharashtra in the months of June and July. They had together mobilised over 2000 women. The last district convention of Thane-Palghar was held on August 23, 2019 at the Comrade Godavari Shamrao Parulekar Bhawan at Talasari in Palghar district. Over 3,000 women from eight tehsils attended. The huge hall was completely jam-packed with women.

THE 12th all India conference of AIDWA will be held in Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra, from December 27-30, 2019. A reception committee to host the same was formed on July 27 in Mumbai in the presence of five AIDWA central office bearers – national president Malini Bhattacharya, vice presidents Subhashini Ali and Sudha Sundarraman, general secretary Mariam Dhawale and treasurer P K Shrimati.In a special session, all these national leaders unveiled the impressive logo of this conference created by Vijay Patil, managing editor of the progressive weekly Jeewanmarg.

THIS period has been a very challenging time for all the progressive, democratic and secular forces in the country. The results of the 17th Lok Sabha elections have been a great setback. The BJP aroused nationalist jingoism, zeroing in on Pulwama and Balakot, and shifted the poll narrative from the burning issues of the people. The consolidation of the Hindutva vote bank through communally charged campaigns and violent attacks strengthened communal polarisation and helped the BJP.

THE All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), in a statement issued on June 11, has welcomed the judgement of the Pathankot sessions court which has convicted three main accused of rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir on January 10, 2018 to life imprisonment. Sanji Ram, one of the main convicted is the priest of the temple where the crime took place. He has been supported by the Hindu Ekta Manch which has the backing of the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir.

THE CPI(M), Delhi state committee, in a statement issued on June 4, has welcomed the decision of the Delhi state government to provide free travel for women in the metro and state run buses. This will especially provide welcome relief to lakhs of women working in the unorganised sector who are deprived of even minimum wages.    The state government should extend benefits of the above scheme to male workers in the unorganised sector as well as to senior citizens. Similarly school and college students should be exempt from paying any fare in both the metro and buses, the statement said.